Gtechniq partners Aston Martin Racing clinched the GTE Am drivers’ and teams’ titles in the final round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship in Bahrain, recently.
The victory capped an astonishing season that included seven pole positions and four wins for the crew of the #98 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE, Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda, and Pedro Lamy, covered themselves in glory on the series’ final visit to the Bahrain International Circuit.
Having started from pole position, the #98 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE delivered a storming drive to take an emphatic victory of the season in the Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain, securing a dream result for everyone in the team and those back at the factory in the UK.
Paul Howarth, Team Principal Aston Martin Racing, said: “It’s brilliant to still be world champions as a team. Having conceded the FIA GTE Pro titles, we’ve won the GTE Am titles for Aston Martin Racing. Seven poles, four wins, the Am class and GTE Pro wins in Le Mans and Mexico. It’s the icing on the cake for the whole team and everyone involved in Aston Martin Racing. All the partners, Dunlop, everybody back at Gaydon, winning world championships don’t come easy. It’s an immense moment for the people who support the team including Paul Dalla Lana and it’s a big moment for Pedro and Mathias too. They have stuck with it, and come close so many times.
“The V8 Vantage GTE has bowed out in real style. It’s a Le Mans winner, a world championship winner for the second year in a row. It can be recognised as one of the greatest cars in GT racing and going forward the next generation of race cars have a hard act to follow.”
Earlier this week (Tuesday 21 November 2017), Gtechniq was invited to the official launch of the new Aston Martin Vantage roadcar and Vantage GTE, at the Old Truman Brewery, London, UK.
Using the new road car, Prodrive – the team behind Aston Martin Racing – has optimised the chassis to reach its full power potential and aerodynamic performance. Aston Martin revealed their main aim of the new GTE was to make the car easier to control on the limit, to boost its usability for drivers in the GTE Am class, and refining the AMG-developed four-litre turbocharged V8 from the road car.
The new Vantage GTE runs on Ohlins suspension, with bespoke Michelin tyres and a new braking system from Alcon.
Rob Earle, Gtechniq managing director, said: “The new vantage GTE is stunning, the new design changes including the track that has been significantly widened compared to the road car’s, and the massive rear wing and rear diffuser combo, I hope will set Aston Martin in good stead in the coming year. We look forward to continuing to work with Aston Martin Racing/Prodrive, supplying all their car care products to maintain these beauties.”
