What is Aston Martin up to?

[tje23]

Originally Posted by pederb

What happen to the Vantage in the last few laps of Sebring? The scoring said Off then Out?

I heard in the press release they had minor issues with steering, and as a precaution, brought the car in. They did take the checkered tho'. Hope that clears it up!

[Simmi]

I think they showed decent signs during Sebring. At times they were up at the sharp end against the best teams in the world. Hopefully this will just be the start but really a shame they don't have a second car for double data.

[alexkiller8]

i think that if they will keep this bop, they will be just able to race against the #77 porsche for some hour (the new 997 seems to have the best fuel autonomy between GT cars)

[TF110]

The commentators were saying that the Aston was able to utilize it's tires by getting them up to temp. a bit faster than the other teams. I think they could have challenged for a top 5 if the wheel situation didn't happen.

[gwyllion]

FYI. I found the waivers that have been granted for the Aston Martin Vantage: decision D-0010-LM GTE Pro and D-0011-LM GTE Am of the FIA Endurance Committee.

[Simmi]

Just digging this back out given the news in Autosport today that Aston are planning an expanded WEC attack next year, possibly with up to four cars (2 Pro/2 Am).

My question is who will be driving? I'm not really sure how many guys they still have under contract apart from Turner and Mucke?

With Fernandez gone they need to find at least four drivers to fill those pro cars at LM. Maybe they will bring Andy Meyrick back after having promoted him during the AMR-One debacle.

Who else do you think?

[The Badger]

They did have Klein under contract .

Sadly , Enge wont be part of it .

[Simmi]

I'd completely forgotten about Klien!

If I was Aston I'd try and go out there and snap up Makowiecki to a works deal. I'm not sure how easy that would be as he does have a good 'hired gun' status at the moment - but he doesn't have a WEC ride.

Aston would also give drivers opportunities at things like VLN races. With things headed towards a 'unified GT' there could be great opportunities for a works GT driver.

[MitchZ06]

Expect to see Mako be wearing orange rather than BRG...

[Koenigsegg]

You have the Stuck brothers from ADAC GT Masters.

Also, Jacques Villeneuve and Jos Verstappen raced for them at Le Mans in the past. I'm not saying that they will race for Aston Martin again. But you never know.

Then you also have all those drivers that raced for them at Silverstone this year.

I think Aston Martin has no problem in finding drivers. Funding will be the biggest problem I guess.

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

You have the Stuck brothers from ADAC GT Masters.

Also, Jacques Villeneuve and Jos Verstappen raced for them at Le Mans in the past. I'm not saying that they will race for Aston Martin again. But you never know.

Then you also have all those drivers that raced for them at Silverstone this year.

I think Aston Martin has no problem in finding drivers. Funding will be the biggest problem I guess.

It would be interesting to see what driver grading the Stuck Bros would get. The AM drives will mostly take care of themselves but maybe as you say we could see another ex-F1 guy come in. I think maybe you meant Frentzen instead of Villeneuve however.

[Koenigsegg]

Originally Posted by Simmi

It would be interesting to see what driver grading the Stuck Bros would get. The AM drives will mostly take care of themselves but maybe as you say we could see another ex-F1 guy come in. I think maybe you meant Frentzen instead of Villeneuve however.

Sorry, I meant Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Jacques Villeneuve raced for Peugeot.

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

You have the Stuck brothers from ADAC GT Masters

Are either of them works GT material ?

Piccini ..... Wendlinger .

[Koenigsegg]

Originally Posted by The Badger

Are either of them works GT material?

They raced for the official Aston Martin team at the Nürburgring. And they almost won the ADAC GT Masters championship in 2011 (in a Lamborghini).

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

They raced for the official Aston Martin team at the Nürburgring. And they almost won the ADAC GT Masters championship in 2011 (in a Lamborghini).

Oh right . I just remember Stuck junior doing something in a Porsche a couple years ago , and he wasnt very impressive . Glad to hear he is showing some form .

How about the 3 Stucks in one car ..... bet ol'Hans would love that . He could be the gentleman driver !!!

[Tim the Grey]

I wonder what grading Hanschen would get, these days?
It would be nice to think AMR would look into their Junior Teams running GT4s etc for some up and coming quick drivers...
Mako would be an excellent choice, if they could get him into baby blue and orange...

[GT3.14]

Mr. Martin has done a fair amount of time in Astons. What (price) would it take to convince him not to go to DTM (probably signed already)? Mako and Martin in the same car, that would be quite a spectacle.

[The Badger]

I reckon he makes more wedge in DTM , as their mostly factory cars .

[Simmi]

I'd rip BMW's arm off and take the DTM contract if I was Max. Will still surely be options to do sportscars, maybe even Le Mans if the Z4 GTE ever arrives. Would be a shame to lose him however as he is absolute class.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Tim the Grey

I wonder what grading Hanschen would get, these days?

Stuckie? Silver or Bronze sadly, for reasons of age.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Koenigsegg

You have the Stuck brothers from ADAC GT Masters.

Also, Jacques Villeneuve and Jos Verstappen raced for them at Le Mans in the past. I'm not saying that they will race for Aston Martin again. But you never know.

Then you also have all those drivers that raced for them at Silverstone this year.

I think Aston Martin has no problem in finding drivers. Funding will be the biggest problem I guess.

One of the 'Am' Astons at Silverstone was Roald Goethe's Gulf car running as a 'works' entry- the other had the backing and drivers from Andrew Howard's Beechdean GT3 squad.
IIRC Stuart Hall from the Goethe Aston has got a bit of previous seat time as a factory Aston driver when they were in LMP1, so could be in the frame.
On the Beechdean side, they were involved with the Mansell Zytek a couple of years back, so maybe they still have WEC/Le Mans ambitions...

Where did the money for the Danish lineup in the 'Am' car at Le Mans come from?- if there's any further interest from that direction for 2013, I'd certainly like to see Allan Simonsen with a full-time Aston ride....

[CTD]

Originally Posted by KA

Where did the money for the Danish lineup in the 'Am' car at Le Mans come from?- if there's any further interest from that direction for 2013, I'd certainly like to see Allan Simonsen with a full-time Aston ride....

Allan Simonsen will get a drive at Le Mans, no doubts there. He is too skilled to be missed.
The All Danish GTE AM Aston, was created out of several reasons, i think.
Honestly i do not know how the money came, but there are several interest involved.
First off, Jac Nelleman a central part of the AMR team, is Danish, and has always pushed a bit for the danish drivers.
Secondly, Kristian Poulsen isn't a poor man, remember he did help fund a large part of the Essex LMP2 victory. (He's made good money in the truck business)
And thirdly, Christoffer Nygaard, lives up to the terms of the "Young Drivers" program AMR had, and is an up and coming talent.

[TF110]

Aside from drivers for a minute, anyone feel they should use the new 2014 Vanquish in future GTE as a base?

[NaBUru38]

I prefer the Vantage because it's smaller.

[MitchZ06]

Needs to be the Vantage because it has the V8, the V12 is too big (yes I know about the Viper....).