Aston Martin Driver - Special Edition
VANTAGE SCORES SECOND AT LE MANS
The Vantage GTE of the TF Sport scored a fine second in the LM GTE class of the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 100th running of this famous race.
Despite qualifying second in Thursday’s Hyperpole session, a podium had initially looked unlikely for the number 25 car – driven by Ahmad Al Harthy, Michael Dinan and Charlie Eastwood – after it had dropped outside the top 15 following its first pit stop. But as rain, safety cars and caution periods made conditions challenging, the Aston Martin fought back to third place with two and a half hours to go at which point Eastwood climbed aboard for his final stint. He closed a 20-second gap on the car ahead and passed it around the outside with 90 minutes left to take over second place, where he would finish.
TF Sport’s team principal Tom Ferrier said, “The result is a testament to the Aston Martin Vantage GTE. It’s the ultimate GT car for Le Mans and always seems to fly around here. There were times in the race when I didn’t think we were going to be anywhere near it because the start was messy and we dropped back. But we have enough experience of Le Mans now to know that if we just stay calm and look at the way the race is most likely to unfold, we can usually make good decisions.”
The North American team The Heart of Racing then scored a strong sixth-place finish on its first appearance at Le Mans, fighting back from 18th place at the start and a one-lap delay in the pits (in the second hour) to repair damage caused by contact.
Huw Tasker, AMR head of partner racing said, “It’s great to see Vantage on the podium at Le Mans, and not just any Le Mans, but the centenary event that truly is the biggest race in the world. ORT by TF did an excellent job.”