Aston Martin Racing and Craft Racing AMR have formed a partnership that sees the Asia-based race team responsible for developing the Aston Martin Racing brand in the region, through its participation in some of the major Asian racing series.
The Asian team will also collaborate on technical development with Aston Martin Racing, provide support for customer racing teams, as well as promote the sales of the Vantage-based race cars.
Craft Racing AMR is regularly regarded as one of the top motorsport teams in Asia and its founders and team have been involved in motorsport in the region for more than two decades.
Since 2010, the team has enjoyed a strong and successful relationship with Aston Martin Racing and will be racing a Vantage GT3 in the GT Asia championship, one of the most exciting and intensely competitive major pan-Asia series, which concludes this year at the immensely popular Macau Grand Prix where works driver Darren Turner (GB) will pilot one of Craft Racing AMR's Vantage GT3s.
The team is also planning to take part in the highly anticipated inaugural Asian Le Mans series - the class winners of which will be qualified to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans - scheduled to begin in Korea, and then on to Japan, China, and finally to Indonesia.
This experience and understanding of the car made the team the perfect choice for Aston Martin Racing when looking for a partner team that would focus on key championships on the other side of the world from its head-quarters in Banbury, UK.
James Walters comments: “This isn’t something we step into lightly. Last year we announced that The Racer’s Group would play a similar role in the USA and we’re delighted that our relationship with Craft Racing AMR has grown so strong that we can do the same with them, but to cover the Asian region."
“Our range of Vantage-based race cars offer a highly-competitive option for a wide scope of Asian GT championships and endurance races and I’m sure that together, we will grow the presence of Aston Martin Racing at each event.”
Mark Goddard, Team Principal and Craft Racing AMR Team co-founder comments: “We are extremely happy to take our relationship with such an iconic brand to a higher level and we are confident that Craft Racing AMR will bring further success to Aston Martin Racing in both GT Asia and the Asian Le Mans Series. We also have a programme of long distance races, such as the MME 12 Hours of Sepang and the Dubai 24 Hours.”
Craft Racing won the GT Asia Team Championship at its first attempt back in 2010. The team has since won numerous races in Asia and is the 2012 MSS GT3 champion. The best result to date, as Craft Racing AMR, was the 24 Hours of Dubai, which saw the team take an impressive third overall in their debut 24-hour endurance race.
Aston Martin Racing’s works driver Stefan Mücke (D), who raced with the Craft Racing AMR team in Dubai, will race alongside Frank Yu throughout the GT Asia series, which begins at Motegi, Japan on 11/12th May 2013.
Follow the progress of Aston Martin Racing’s customer teams at: www.astonmartin.com/racing
About Aston Martin Racing
Aston Martin Racing is the motorsport arm of Aston Martin. In 2013, it will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship with its Vantage GTE. It also has customer teams competing in major championships around the world in its Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE cars, which all share a bonded aluminium chassis and fundamental engine design with Aston Martin's road-going V8 Vantage.
Follow the team's progress on facebook,on Twitter using @amr_official and on the website www.astonmartin.com/racing.
For more information about Aston Martin Racing customer programmes contact:
James Walters
Aston Martin Racing
T: +44 (0) 1295 273 355
E: jwalters@astonmartinracing.com