BMW, as it turns out, isn't the only European automaker working on a new GTE racer based on a fresh model it has yet to reveal for the street.
So too is Aston Martin, which is reportedly preparing to roll out an all-new model to replace its current top sports racer. And it'll be based on the all-new Vantage.
“The new Vantage road car comes out next year and we’ve committed to GT racing for the foreseeable future, therefore you can infer from that that there’ll be a new Vantage race car,” Aston Martin vice president David King told Motorsport.com. "The guys are working very hard on it. You’ll find out soon what our plans are.”
King was more dismissive of rumors that Aston Martin Racing is bringing Mercedes-AMG into the fold for the new racer, leveraging the German firm's own considerable expertise – in the powertrain department especially. “We have a very important strategic relationship with Daimler on the OEM side and that becomes more significant with the new Vantage,” King added. “That’s giving us access to technology that we need for the future of our road cars. It’s a good partnership but it doesn’t directly affect what we’re doing in racing.” Astons and Mercedes compete against each other on the customer-focused GT3 level, but that's as far up the ladder as Benz currently goes when it comes to sports car racing.
Run by Prodrive, Aston Martin Racing has an impressive track record accrued over the past dozen years – long before Prodrive chief David Richards became Aston's chairman as well. The team has taken four class wins at Le Mans – including the LMGTE Pro class this year. It's also won class championships in the European Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series, FIA World Endurance Championship. The current Vantage GTE (pictured) has formed the backbone of its program since 2012.
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