Aston Martin’s new Vantage GT3 is set to make its debut at the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa this weekend. This marks the first attempt by the British luxury sports car brand to win the race outright since it became a GT3-only event in 2012.
A record seven Vantage GT3 cars, representing over 10% of the 67-car grid, are entered by Aston Martin’s new 2024 partner teams, ComToYou Racing and Walkenhorst Motorsport. The race, featuring nine global manufacturers and five classes, coincides with the event’s 100th anniversary. Aston Martin last won here in 1948 under different regulations.
Both teams aim to cap off a successful month, which saw the new Vantage GT3 secure maiden victories in North America, Asia, and Europe. The 24-hour race at Spa is their final chance to achieve a significant win in 2024, following strong performances at the Rolex 24 Hours, Nürburgring 24 Hours, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The teams’ Pro class entries are strengthened by all-works driver line-ups. ComToYou Racing’s #7 car features the renowned “Dane Train” duo Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen, alongside Mattia Drudi. Thiim and Sørensen boast five FIA GT World Endurance Championship titles and two 24 Hours of Le Mans class wins. Drudi, the reigning Fanatec GT World Europe Sprint Cup champion, finished second overall at Spa in 2020.
Walkenhorst Motorsport’s #34 car is equally formidable, with David Pittard, the 2023 Nürburgring 24 Hours winner, joined by Henrique Chaves, the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner, and Ross Gunn, fresh off a podium finish in IMSA with the new Vantage GT3.
The six works drivers represent Aston Martin’s strongest-ever Pro class challenge at Spa. The Vantage GT3 comes into the event on a high note, with recent victories in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, SUPER GT Series, Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, and Road to Le Mans event.
ComToYou Racing fields three additional Vantage GT3s, sharing the architecture of the new Vantage road car, powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine. The #11 Bronze Cup entry will be driven by John de Wilde, Kobe Pauwels, Job van Uitert, and Dante Rappange. The Silver Cup entries feature Nicolas Baert, Esteban Muth, Sebastian Øgaard, and Erwan Bastard in the #12, and Charles Clark, Sam Dejonghe, Matisse Lismont, and Xavier Maassen in the #21.
Walkenhorst Motorsport’s Silver Cup #35 car will be driven by Romain Leroux, Lorcan Hanafin, and Maxime Robin. The Bronze Cup #36 car will feature Tim Creswick, Mex Jansen, and Ben Green.
Additionally, Aston Martin has a significant presence in the GT4 European Series support races, with nine Vantage GT4s entered by teams including Forsetti Motorsport, GPA Racing, Mirage Racing, Racing Spirit of Léman, and PROsport Racing.
