Tag Archives: Mücke

Serviceability – Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE

In 2012 Aston Martin returned to racing a GT programme with up to three Gulf sponsored works cars, split between the Pro and Am subdivisions, appearing in last seasons Le Mans Series races.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

The GTE is similar to the previous GT2 incarnation of the Vantage V8 though it is lighter, features improved cooling for the driver, has improved aerodynamics and also improved serviceability which means that the motor can now be changed in an hour without altering the suspension settings where as previously the same operation took four hours.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

The dry sump lubricated 4474 cc / 273 cui V8 motor produces 600 hp that is transmitted to the rear wheels by a six speed X-trac sequential semi automatic gearbox that is operated by paddle shift from the steering wheel. A carbon fiber prop shaft is fitted between the gearbox and rear axle.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

To bring the car to rest ventilated disc brakes are used with six pot calipers on the front and four pot calipers at the rear.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

Helping to keep the dry weight down to 1195 kgs 2634 lbs are a lithium battery, carbon fibre body panels and seat.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

At Le Mans last year two GTE’s were entered the #97 Pro car driven by Adrian Fernandez, Stefan Mücke and Darren Turner finishing 19th over all 3rd in class while the #99 Am car driven by Danes Allan Simonsen, Christoffer Nygaard and Kristian Poulsen after 31 laps.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

Last season Aston Martin finished 2nd in the LMGTE Pro series with one class win and six further class podiums. At the time of writing the week before Le Mans Aston Martin are leading both the Pro and Am 2013 LMGTE series.

Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE, Donington Park

The #99 featured today is seen at a test day at Donington Park prior to the Silverstone Six Hour race where the car driven by Jonathan Adam, Andrew Howard and Paul White failed to finish.

Thanks for joining me on this “Serviceability” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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“LMS Series Winner” – Lola Aston Martin DBR 1-2

With the announcement of the discontinuation of Group C, from 1991 on, at the end of 1989 Aston Martin decided to withdraw it’s AMR1 V8 Prototype from the top line Sports Car series with immediate effect as they had no engine to with which to compete under the proposed new rules mandating 3.5 litre / 213 cui motors.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

In 2008 the Aston Martin name appeared in the top Le Mans Prototype category with a pair of Lola B08/60’s powered by the 6 litre / 366 cui Aston Martin V12 that had been used in Aston Martin’s class winning DBR9 GT programme. The Lola Aston Martins were run in a collaboration between Prodrive and the Czech Charouz Racing System with Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge and Stefan Mücke sharing the driving of a single entry per race.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Charouz and Mücke finished season high 2nd in the Silverstone 1000kms. The following year one car chassis HU01 was sold to Speedy Racing who continue to race the car now under the Rebellion banner having used a motors from Aston Martin, Rebelion V10 and most recently Toyota.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

For 2009 Aston Martin increased their involvement in the Le Mans Prototype (LMP) class using Lola chassis again both the second Charouz Racing B08/60 HU02 and newer B09/60 types all fitted with updated body work. Gulf Oil sponsored, two cars entered by Aston Martin Racing, and an occasional single AMR Eastern Europe entry. All three cars are known as Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2’s and are again powered by DBR9 V12 variants producing around 650hp.

Lola Aston Martin DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Jan Charouz, Tomáš Enge and Stefan Mücke driving the #007 got the 2009 Le Mans Series off to a fine start with a win in the Catalunya 1000 kms, though the #009 of Harold Primat, Miguel Ramos and Darren Turner retired. At Spa the team finished 3rd and 5th in numerical order, while at Le Mans the team were out classed by the works diesel powered Peugeots and Audi’s, which did not take part in the rest of the Le Mans series races.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Silverstone 1000kms

The #007 salvaged a 4th place while the #008 driven by Turner, Anthony Davidson and Jos Verstappen finished 13th and the #009 driven by Primat, Stuart Hall and Peter Kox crashed out while lying 3rd. For some reason the Le Mans 24 Hours was not however part of the Series to which it lent it’s name.

Lola Aston Martin DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

#007 and #009 next competed at Algarve where the original driver line ups finished 3rd and 5th in numerical order, at the Nurburgring #007 won a 1-2-3 finish followed by the #009 and #008 driven by Stuart Hall, Chris Buncombe and Miguel Ramos the latter had been scheduled to drive the #009.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Silverstone 1000kms

Three cars were again entered at Silverstone, where today’s on track photo’s were taken, and third place for the #007 was enough to clinch the LMS drivers championship for Jan Charouz, Tomáš Enge and Stefan Mücke, the #009 in 4th helped seal the Teams championship for Aston Martin Racing and the Manufacturers Championship for Aston Martin.

Lola Aston Martin  DBR 1-2, Goodwood Festival Of Speed

Over the following two years Aston Martin Racing sent cars to events on an apparently as hoc basis to events in Asia and Europe often joined by a chassis that had been acquired by Signature Racing. No more wins were recorded in 2010, but in 2011 the Aston Martin Racing team now sponsored by Muscle Milk driven by Klaus Graf and Lucas Luhr won at Mosport while a Gulf sponsored AMR 1-2 won at Laguna Seca driven by Harold Primat, Stefan Mücke and Adrian Fernandez.

Lola Aston Martin DBR 1-2, Silverstone 1000kms

At the end of the 2011 seasons the DBR 1-2’s were retired and scheduled to be replaced by the ill feted AMR-One.

Thanks for joining me on the “LMS winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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