Aston Martin Racing Begins Testing the V12 Vantage GT3

Aston Martin has a long, rich history of competition. From the DBR1 that captured LeMans co-driven by Texan Carroll Shelby to the DBR9 that won its class there again almost 50 years later, Astons have been a star on the racing scene.

“Recently, Aston Martin retired its DB9 based endurance racers that were so successful worldwide,” explained Sonny Morgan, dealer principal at John Eagle European’s Aston Martin of Austin. “Once again, they’ve taken on a new challenge. Aston is turning the marvelous V12 Vantage into another race-winning sports car.”

Aston Martin Racing began testing its new V12 Vantage GT3 at Brands Hatch in Kent this week, covering almost 1000 kilometers in just two days. The majority of the mileage was conducted by factory driver Darren Turner.

After two days behind the wheel, Turner said, “The car ran like clockwork throughout and we’ve managed really good mileage already. The feeling of the V12 Vantage GT3 is a massive step forward from the DBRS9. Being based on the smaller Vantage it is more responsive and feels more nimble, giving the driver plenty of confidence to extract all the performance from the V12 engine while also being light on its tires. It isn’t too physical to drive and I didn’t even break into a sweat during the test!

“With the clean styling and the amazing sounding V12, its closer to the core values of Aston Martin’s road cars than any of the racing cars we’ve ever built. I’m certain it’ll become a favorite among motorsport fans in no time at all.”

The design and engineering of the new V12 GT3 endurance racer was led by Aston Martin Racing’s Chief Engineer for GT, Dan Sayers. The team is now embarking upon a rigorous development and sign off program, which involves extended testing of the car at competition speeds to ensure the longevity of all critical components.

“The V12 Vantage GT3 is a direct replacement for the Aston Martin DBRS9, which first competed in 2006 and went on to score many race and championship wins including the 2007 British GT Championship and the 2009 FIA GT3 Teams’ Championship,” added Morgan. “Sharing Aston Martin’s renowned bonded aluminum VH body structure and 6.0-litre V12 engine with the road-going V12 Vantage, the new racer is the culmination of six years’ experience competing at the forefront of all major international GT series.”



Aston Martin returned to GT racing as a factory team in 2005 with the DBR9 GT1, which went on to record back-to-back victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, as well as winning this year’s FIA GT1 World Championship.

John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Managing Director, said: “The testing of the new V12 Vantage GT3 has gone really well. We haven’t had any significant issues with the car, despite having covered close to 1000 kilometers, exceeding all our expectations in the car’s first track test. “The Vantage GT3 is the ultimate expression of all the experience that Aston Martin Racing has gained in the past six years. The DBRS9 still has a year of FIA homologation remaining, which effectively makes 2012 a development year for the V12 Vantage GT3.”

It uses a significantly revised version of the DBRS9’s 6.0-litre V12 engine. Changes include a lightweight crankshaft, dry sump lubrication and new valve trains for even greater performance and reliability.

“We’re very confident that the Vantage GT3 will be a competitive force in all GT3 series, winning races and eventually titles as well. Given our track record in engineering and building fast and reliable GT cars, we’re very confident that the new Vantage GT3 will build on the DBRS9’s success over years to come,” added Gaw.

The V12 Vantage GT3 will be eligible to run in all FIA GT3 and national GT3 championships; the Blancpain Endurance Series; VLN and the Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance race.

The 600bhp engine – positioned behind the front axle line for optimum weight distribution – powers the rear wheels via a carbon fiber propshaft, an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission and limited slip differential.

Braking is by six pot calipers at the front and four pot items at the rear, with ventilated discs all round and manually adjustable brake bias. The suspension is double wishbone type with uniball bearings and two-way adjustable dampers front and rear.

Aston Martin Racing will continue with the V12 Vantage GT3’s comprehensive testing program into the New Year and beyond.