Tuesday 27th January 2009

Aston Wants Le Mans Title

Aston Martin will take on the diesels at this year's Le Mans

---

Aston Martin is heading back to Le Mans in a bid to bring the title back to Britain. To mark the 50^th anniversary of its win at the famous track the carmaker will take two Works LMP1 cars to France, bearing the iconic blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil.

The new car which is based on the 2008 Charouz Racing System Lola will be powered by the same production-based Aston Martin V12 engine which, last year, helped Aston Martin secure its second successive Le Mans GT1 title with the DBR9. It has the difficult job of tackling the all-conquering diesel-powered Audis that won last year.

‘2009 is a hugely significant year for Aston Martin at Le Mans and the challenge of reclaiming victory in this famous race for Aston Martin and Great Britain was simply too great to ignore,’ said Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards.  

‘However, we do not underestimate the task.  While we have won the GT1 class for the last two years, competing against the proven speed and endurance of the diesel-powered cars with all their years of winning the prototype class, will be a massive undertaking. Nonetheless, I see this as a great opportunity to showcase the ingenuity of British engineering talent.’

In 2009, the ACO is introducing new regulations aimed at balancing the performance of petrol and diesel-powered prototypes making the LMP1 category more appealing and relevant to Aston Martin.

Aston Martin Racing Works drivers, Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge, and Stefan Mücke, who raced the Charouz car last year will be on the team along with Darren Turner who was part of the winning DBR9 GT1 crew in 2007 and 2008. Harold Primat joins the team for the first time in 2009 with the remaining driver to be announced soon.

To focus its energy on the all-out title Aston will not be defending its GT1 title at Le Mans.

[Mannginger]

Excellent news!

I really want to go to Le Mans this year, especially now with this news. Have I left it too late already?

Phil

[LeoZwalf]

Good for them! That is great news

It will make this year's race something to get even more excited about than usual

To the chap above - it shouldn't be too late, check out the Le Mans section of PH or beermountain.com for more info

Go Aston Martin - we will be cheering you on in June!

[[AJ]]

Good luck Aston, it sounds like quite the challenge. No doubt there will be more than a few sleepless nights for that team between now and then. I wasn't intending on going to Le Mans this year, but I think I have just changed my mind! It really would be fantastic if they managed to take the all out title. I'm interested to hear what the regulatory changes are going to be that will effect the oil burners.

[chevronb37]

I don't know what chance they will stand against the diesels, but this is great news. Shame to see the end of the DBR9s though.

[NotNormal]

Awesome news and car looks amazing in the classic Gulf colours, wishing them all the best and i'm already booked to be there to cheer them on in June

[190E Matt]

PH News said:

with the remaining driver to be announced soon.

They need the Stig!

[E21_Ross]

190E Matt said:

PH News said:

with the remaining driver to be announced soon.

They need the Stig!

the stig could drive the whole 24hours without a break
it wouldn't be a competition if they had the stig would it!

good luck to aston, not sure what hopes they have against the Audi's and peugeots though, the Audi's seem so bullet proof reliable and are still very quick!

on another note, weren't Audi to go back to petrol next year?

Ross.

[Godzilla]

Not competing in GT1 this year? Well at least Corvette Racing will take the title in their final year in GT1 then, but it won't make for very exciting racing...

[Mannginger]

Are there customer GT1 DB9s entering? They may give the Vette's a good race if so.

[Godzilla]

I think 4 out of the top 6 finishers in GT1 last year were Corvettes. Without the full backing of the Aston works team, it would be very hard to beat Corvette Racing's professionalism.

[german tony]

Well if this helps shift a few more cars then perhaps those Aston workers who are currently laid off can go back to work.

[Lucozade]

Great news, however, I thought they were in financial difficulties. Not nice for those 600 workers being layed off whilst the company spends a considerable amount of money on racing.

[wab172uk]

Lucozade said:

Great news, however, I thought they were in financial difficulties. Not nice for those 600 workers being layed off whilst the company spends a considerable amount of money on racing.

Remindes me of MG Rover. Business going down the pan. What shall we do??? I know........ Enter LeMans!!!!

[mainaman]

wab172uk said:

Lucozade said:

Great news, however, I thought they were in financial difficulties. Not nice for those 600 workers being layed off whilst the company spends a considerable amount of money on racing.

Remindes me of MG Rover. Business going down the pan. What shall we do??? I know........ Enter LeMans!!!!

At least they withdrew from GT1,so it probably wouldn't cost them much more to contest LeMans this year, and it would be really bad for the brand image of any manifacturer of sport cars to cease racing activities.

[dugsud]

german tony said:

Well if this helps shift a few more cars then perhaps those Aston workers who are currently laid off can go back to work.

That will be the way Richards will be thinking, he'd only do it if there we're big commercial benefits!

[vetteheadracer]

There will also possibly be a GT2 vette at Le Mans it depends on ACO accepting the entry. At least I can now cheer on the Aston in LMP1.....until of course they breaks or they crash!
3 Corvettes confirmed for Le Mans plus potentially 2 more, I am sure there will be at least a couple of private Astons and possibly a GT1 Ford GT too!

[the fury]

Fantastic! That's really cheered me up! Was in 2 minds as whether to go or not this year but that's made up my mind.

[Johnspex]

It would be nice to have at least 1 British Driver, wouldn't it?

[chevronb37]

Johnspex said:

It would be nice to have at least 1 British Driver, wouldn't it?

Darren Turner not British enough for you?!

[Crow555]

Johnspex said:

It would be nice to have at least 1 British Driver, wouldn't it?

Umm, Darren Turner?

Edit: Beat me to it, Chevron.

Edited by Crow555 on Tuesday 27th January 13:58