Aston Martin Racing customer teams Craft-Bamboo Racing, Motionsport and Aston Martin St. Gallen will all take on Australia’s biggest endurance racing event, Bathurst 12 Hours, this weekend (6-8 February).
Gaydon, 4 February 2015 - Aston Martin Racing customer teams Craft-Bamboo Racing, Motionsport and Aston Martin St. Gallen will all take on Australia’s biggest endurance racing event, Bathurst 12 Hours, this weekend (6-8 February).
Craft-Bamboo Racing and Motionsport will be recorded in Aston Martin Racing’s history books as they enter the first V12 Vantage GT3s to contest the 12-hour race, something that Team Principal John Gaw says is an exciting step in the British brand’s success in the top GT races in the world.
“We’ve had great success with our V12 Vantage GT3 around the world,” he commented. “We had five entries in Spa 24 Hours, finished fifth in Nürburgring 24 Hours and had five consecutive pole positions in the United Sports Car Championship including Daytona 24 Hours.
“Bathurst 12 Hours is one of the big GT races and to have cars battling it out for the overall win is very exciting.”
Craft-Bamboo Racing will race for overall honours with its #97 Vantage GT3 driven by Aston Martin Racing works drivers Stefan Mücke (DE) and Alex MacDowall (GB) and two-time race-winner Darryl O’Young (HK).
“It’s great to be taking the Aston Martin Racing brand to Mount Panorama,” commented MacDowall, who will scale the 6.2km-long Mount Panorama closed-road circuit for the first time. “Bathurst 12 Hours is one of the big iconic endurance races and it will be great to see the Vantage GT3 battling out for the win... to be driving it myself is really exciting.”
The Asia-based team will also enter an identical V12 Vantage GT3 in the Pro-Am class with drivers Jean-Marc Merlin (FR), Frank Yu (HK) and Jonathan Venter (AU) who, despite being just 18 years old, has competed in Bathurst 12 Hours twice and hopes to lead the team to class victory.
“I'm really excited to race with Craft-Bamboo Racing in Bathurst 12 Hours,” said the young Australian. “It's a great opportunity to gain experience and continue the learning from my GT Asia races with the team last season. The Aston Martin is very strong and, being on Michelin tyres, it is the perfect package for us here in Bathurst.”
New Aston Martin Racing team, Motionsport, will also be looking for the Pro-Am class win in itsCompareInsure.com.au-sponsored V12 Vantage GT3 and all-British line-up of Pete Storey, Ben Gower and Gordon Shedden.
2012 BTCC champion Shedden, who contests the race for the second time, commented: “We certainly have unfinished business at Bathurst after last year! The Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 will be a fantastic car to have round the Mountain and it will be great to be at the sharp end of the race.”
In the GT4 class, Aston Martin St. Gallen will return to the Mountain looking for class victory with its V8 Vantage GT4. The team, which includes Swiss drivers Dr. Andreas Baenziger and Dr. Florian Kamelger, will be hoping to repeat its podium result of 2013.
Bathurst 12 Hours starts at 0550hrs local time on Sunday 8 February. Join the Aston Martin Racing teams on social media using the hashtag #teamAMR.