Aston Martin LM-GTS

[Accipiter]

http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=25379&s=15

Aston Martin and Prodrive have sealed a deal to build a DB9 Le Mans car, according to this week's Motorsport News.

Aston is said to be on the verge of announcing the new project which should see Cosworth V12-powered, Prodrive-built, DB9s on the grid for the 2005 Le Mans 24 Hours.

The car would run in the GTS class - which was won this year at La Sarthe by a Prodrive-built Ferrari 550 Maranello. Opposition by 2005 is likely to include Ferrari, Maserati and Chevrolet.

Cool! :D

But, makes you wonder what is going to happen with the Prodrive Ferraris. Could make for thin competitin in '04.

[Jag_Warrior]

I'm not sure about the 550/575 Ferraris. Rafanelli says he'll be back, with or without Olive Garden. I assume he wants to at least be in GTS, if not an LMP category. With the new LMES coming online and the FIA and ACO working out their major differences, things could get tough here in North America for awhile (2004, anyway). Course we always have that NASCAR DP/kit car series to follow. :laugh: :thumdown:

I just read another piece that Ford is REALLY beginning to count their pennies, when it comes to non-NASCAR racing programs. 30 people just got laid off at Cosworth Racing - and I think this car is to have a Cosworth tuned V12. I really hope a couple more GTS cars sign on for 2005. I'd love to see Daimler-Chrysler pump some money into the Viper program again.

[Accipiter]

Well, for sure we know there will be a factory backed ACEMCO Saleen S7R with Borcheller and Johnny Mowlem behind the wheel. Since I believe the car will finally be running penalty free, that will be a good challenge against the Vettes.

Since I posted that, someone got in contact with the Ford bean counters and they all but put the kaibosh on factory support for the Aston Martion program. But the head of AM is a big racing guy, so things may not be compeltely dead yet. And it's still not out of the question that Prodrive could just build and run the cars on their own like they did with the 550s, though finding the funding might not be so easy.

[Accipiter]

Now the Aston Martin racing program has been confirmed:



Aston Martin Returns to Motorsport


Aston Martin will return to the world’s motor racing circuits during 2004 following the creation of a new division to be known as Aston Martin Racing. In the past two and a half years, the prestigious sports car marque has been experiencing some of the biggest changes ever seen in its 89-year history with the launch of no fewer than six new production cars and the official opening of its new headquarters at Gaydon, in Warwickshire, UK.
However it is now set to turn its attention to production-based world sports car racing – something it is renowned for, having taken both the World Sportscar Championship title and Le Mans 24 Hours in 1959. Aston Martin’s new DB9 model will form the basis of this new challenge for 2004 and beyond.

“Aston Martin is an exclusive brand, but we cannot be exclusive without being visible and motor sport is a way to heighten our profile,” said Dr Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin. “Production-based sports car series are growing in stature with many leading manufacturers returning with their own factory programmes. By competing with them we can demonstrate that our cars are not only the best on the road, but also on the racing track.

"We are keen to see new regulations for 2004 that will allow true production-based sports cars to compete on a level playing field. The new rules from the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) clearly provide this; we hope other sporting organisations will follow their route and encourage sports car racing to grow in importance and profile."

The Aston Martin Racing programme will be overseen by Aston Martin’s Product Development & Motor Sport Director, Jeremy Main, and run in conjunction with Prodrive, one of the world’s leading motor sport specialists. Prodrive will be responsible for the design and development of the cars as well as overseeing their performance when racing.

Work on the design of the Aston Martin DB9 racing car will begin shortly and it is planned to race the first car towards the end of 2004. Aston Martin Racing is aiming to run a number of teams in various sports car series around the world and will be
evaluating these during 2004.

In addition to the private teams, Aston Martin Racing will also be producing a number of racing cars for sale to individuals and collectors. Further details about the Aston Martin Racing programme will be announced in early 2004.




:D

[Ankf00]

just cut Jag funding, rebadge F1 to "Team Ford" and put serious coin into Astons and pumping ALMS :D

[Jag_Warrior]

They should have just kept backing Jackie Stewart. They'd have probably won a few races by now.

I want to see Jag back at Le Mans in the prototype category. They already did the "XJR" thing, now how 'bout an XKR5 and moving to the XKR9 by... 2008? ;)

I really hope that things continue to pan out for Aston Martin. It'll be great to see the DB series back in racing as well.