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Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Targets Win At Fuji Speedway In Latest WEC Challenge
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the 6 Hours of Fuji in Japan this weekend. This comes just days after The Heart of Racing (THoR) secured Aston Martin's first win of the season at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
THoR's recent victory saw them lead from pole position and record the fastest lap in the LMGT3 class, marking their maiden WEC win. Now, D’station Racing, another Aston Martin partner team, will race on home ground at Fuji Motor Speedway, located near their headquarters.
Aston Martin has a strong history at Fuji in WEC. The Vantage has won in each of its three previous configurations: Vantage V8, V8 Vantage GTE, and Vantage GTE. The brand has achieved seven wins from ten visits to the circuit, including two double-class victories in 2013 and 2019/20.
D’station Racing aims to improve on their best WEC finish of third place, achieved at Fuji in 2022 and equalled earlier this year in Qatar. The team is owned by former WEC racer Satoshi Hoshino and managed by SUPER GT Series class winner Tomonobu Fujii.
For THoR, Fuji presents an opportunity to close the gap in the LMGT3 class standings. Following their breakthrough win at COTA, they are now nine points away from second place and 37 points off the leaders. With a maximum of 26 points available this weekend and another 39 in Bahrain, there are still 65 points up for grabs this season.
Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport, commented on THoR's recent success: "The Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is now a race winner in WEC, thanks to the outstanding performance of The Heart of Racing’s drivers and team at COTA."
D’station Racing’s Home Advantage
D’station Racing’s driving lineup includes Marco Sørensen, a three-time FIA WEC champion in GT classes and a Rolex 24 and Le Mans class winner. He is joined by Erwan Bastard, a French and European GT4 title-winner.
The new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 is based on the recently unveiled Vantage road car. It features a bonded aluminium chassis and a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine. This car has already proven its capabilities by becoming the third different car to win in the new LMGT3 class this year.
Upcoming Race Details
Official practice for the 6 Hours of Fuji begins on Friday, 13 September at 1100 local time (0300 BST), with the race starting at 1100 (0300 BST) on Sunday. Fans can follow event details through official series websites and apps.
Aston Martin crews have stood on the podium no less than 16 times at Fuji since WEC began in 2012. Only twice has an Aston Martin not featured on the podium during these events.
The Heart of Racing team principal Ian James, along with drivers Alex Riberas and Daniel Mancinelli, will be looking to build on their recent success as they aim for another strong performance this weekend.
Aston Martin Lagonda continues to be recognised as an iconic global brand synonymous with style, luxury, performance, and exclusivity. Founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford, it remains one of the most desirable ultra-luxury British brands today.
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