Aston Martin is set to make a commanding statement at the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe, fielding its largest-ever contingent of GT3 race cars for the season opener at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 11. With seven Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entries on the grid, the British ultra-luxury performance brand will account for more than ten percent of the highly competitive 60-car field, underlining its growing presence and ambition in global endurance racing.
This unprecedented representation marks a significant milestone for Aston Martin in the series, reflecting both the increasing competitiveness of the Vantage GT3 platform and the strength of its customer racing and partner team ecosystem. As the world’s largest GT-only endurance championship continues to expand in scale and prestige, Aston Martin’s robust entry signals its intent to remain at the forefront of GT3 competition.
A Strong Pro Class Assault
A key highlight of Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign is its formidable presence in the Pro Class, where three Vantage GT3 entries will compete against the very best in international GT racing. Among these is a standout additional entry from Comtoyou Racing, featuring an impressive driver lineup that blends Formula One experience with emerging talent.
The car will be driven by Lance Stroll, a current member of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, alongside former F1 driver Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin Aramco Academy driver Mari Boya. This trio exemplifies Aston Martin’s strategy of combining seasoned professionals with promising young drivers, ensuring both immediate competitiveness and long-term development.
Before the race weekend begins, all Pro Class competitors will participate in the official Prologue test at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 8. This session provides teams with a crucial opportunity to fine-tune setups and gather data ahead of the demanding endurance race, which traditionally transitions from day to night conditions.
Depth Across All Classes
Beyond the Pro Class, Aston Martin’s seven-car lineup is distributed across multiple categories, including the Silver Cup and Bronze Cup, further showcasing the brand’s depth and versatility. Each class features highly competitive entries supported by a mix of experienced works drivers and rising talents from the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy.
The full roster includes no fewer than six factory-backed GT drivers, highlighting the manufacturer’s commitment to excellence and its investment in driver development programs. Notably, two recent graduates of the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy—Kobe Pauwels and Jamie Day—are part of the lineup, demonstrating the effectiveness of the academy in nurturing future stars.
Leadership Perspective
Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport, Adam Carter, expressed enthusiasm about the brand’s strongest-ever entry in the championship. He emphasized the significance of having multiple Pro Class cars staffed with top-tier drivers, as well as the pride in seeing academy graduates progress to higher levels of competition.
Carter also highlighted the continued growth of the GT World Challenge Europe, noting that the championship provides an ideal platform to showcase the performance and reliability of the Vantage GT3 on a global stage. With each passing season, the series attracts more manufacturers, teams, and elite drivers, making it one of the most prestigious arenas in endurance racing.
Comtoyou Racing: A Proven Partner
Belgian outfit Comtoyou Racing has emerged as a cornerstone of Aston Martin’s GT racing success. The team made history in 2024 by delivering Aston Martin’s first victory in the modern GT-only era of the 24 Hours of Spa. That triumph was achieved with a stellar lineup featuring Mattia Drudi, Marco Sørensen, and Nicki Thiim.
Building on that success, Comtoyou Racing continued its winning streak by securing the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Silver Cup title in 2025, with drivers Jamie Day and Kobe Pauwels. This achievement further cemented the team’s reputation as a formidable force in GT racing.
For the 2026 season, Comtoyou Racing will field multiple entries across different classes. The Pro Class #7 Vantage GT3 will once again feature Drudi, Thiim, and Sørensen, forming one of the strongest driver lineups in the field. In the Silver Cup, the #21 entry will be driven by Sébastien Baud, Pauwels, and Oliver Söderström. Meanwhile, the Bronze Cup #11 car will include Marcelo Tomasoni, Aaron Muss, and Kyle Marcelli.
Expanding Team Partnerships
In addition to Comtoyou Racing, Aston Martin’s GT World Challenge Europe campaign is supported by key partner teams including Walkenhorst Motorsport and Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn.
Walkenhorst Motorsport will field a Pro Class #34 Vantage GT3 featuring works drivers Henrique Chaves and Christian Krognes, alongside Jamie Day. The team will also compete in the Silver Cup with its #35 entry, driven by Ethan Ischer, Mateo Villagomez, and Gaspard Simon, the latter being a winner of the SRO GT Academy.
Meanwhile, Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn will make its debut in the GT World Challenge Europe following successful campaigns in other championships such as the British GT Championship and the Asian Le Mans Series. The team’s Bronze Cup entry will feature experienced works driver Jonny Adam, alongside Giacomo Petrobelli and Tom Wood.
A Championship of Global Prestige
The GT World Challenge Europe stands as the premier GT3 endurance racing series globally, featuring ten manufacturers and a grid of 60 cars. The championship spans five rounds across some of Europe’s most iconic circuits. Following the season opener at Circuit Paul Ricard, the series will travel to Monza, then to the prestigious Spa-Francorchamps for the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, before concluding with races at Nürburgring and Portimão.
This diverse calendar ensures a wide range of racing conditions and challenges, from high-speed straights to technical corners and endurance-testing distances, providing the ultimate proving ground for both drivers and machines.
Engineering Excellence: The Vantage GT3
At the heart of Aston Martin’s campaign is the Vantage GT3, a race car that shares its fundamental architecture with the road-going Vantage. Built around a lightweight bonded aluminum chassis, the car is powered by a formidable twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine, delivering both performance and reliability in equal measure.
The Vantage GT3 has already proven its capabilities on the global stage, most notably with its victory at the 2024 24 Hours of Spa—widely regarded as the most prestigious GT3-only endurance race in the world. Its combination of aerodynamic efficiency, mechanical grip, and robust engineering makes it a strong contender in any endurance racing environment.
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