#98 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE (LMGTE Am)

Owner: David Richards
Team Principal: John Gaw
Location: Banbury (GBR)
Website: www.astonmartin.com/racing

2011 ILMC classification: unclassified

2011 LMS classification: DNC

2012 FIA WEC classification: DNC

2012 ELMS classification: DNC

2013 FIA WEC classification: 2nd, FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams (133 points)

2014 FIA WEC classification: 1st and 2nd, FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams (#95, 198 points, 4 wins; #96, 164 points, 3 wins)

2015 FIA WEC classification: 3rd and 6th, FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams (#95, 144 points, 3 wins; #96, 54 points, 0 wins)

2016 FIA WEC classification: 3rd, FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am Teams (149 points, 5 wins)

2017 FIA WEC results

6 Hours of Silverstone: 21st (2nd in LMGTE Am), Dalla Lana/Lamy/Lauda (CAN/PRT/AUT), #98 Aston Martin Vantage

WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps: 25th (1st in LMGTE Am), Dalla Lana/Lamy/Lauda (CAN/PRT/AUT), #98 Aston Martin Vantage

Aston Martin Racing downsized to a single-car entry in the 2016 World Endurance Championship (WEC) in the LMGTE Am class. The early season was as successful as the previous year with a second place at Silverstone and victory for Lamy/Lauda/Dalla Lana at Spa-Francorchamps. Despite a second car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, entered under the Aston Martin Racing banner on behalf of Beechdean AMR, with a driver line-up of Andrew Howard, Liam Griffin and Gary Hirsch, Aston Martin Racing did not return to the top of the podium. The Beechdean crew nonetheless saw the chequered flag in seventh position on their début appearance, but the FIA WEC Vantage was forced to retire with a mechanical issue. 

With five wins in nine races, team and drivers could only finish third in the 2016 FIA WEC LMGTE Am standings. Inconsistency was the root cause with three retirements that proved fatal.

Aston Martin Racing has nonetheless decided to go again with the same car and driver line-up in 2017. The early season has been a carbon copy of the 2016 campaign with a second place at Silverstone and a win at Spa-Francorchamps. Appearances are however deceptive as, in the British round, the #98 Vantage had the race in its pocket when it made contact with the second-placed Spirit of Race Ferrari. While the Ferrari was put out of the running, Pedro Lamy managed to restart and claim the points for second place, behind Matt Griffin in the Clearwater Racing Ferrari who eagerly seized the opportunity to steal the win.

To win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at long last, the trio of ​Paul Dalla Lana/Pedro Lamy/Mathias Lauda must first and foremost reach the finish line, especially as the #98 Vantage will be Aston Martin Racing’s sole entry this year with Beechdean AMR fielding its own car.

Photo: LAURENT CARTALADE / VISION SPORT AGENCY