Launching alongside the global premiere of the latest Vantage road car, the all-new Vantage GT3 showcases heightened performance, enhanced dynamics, and a visually striking design, marking a significant milestone in Aston Martin’s esteemed motorsport legacy.
Expressing his views on the fresh GT racer, Marco Mattiacci, the Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer at Aston Martin, stated, “By unveiling the new Vantage and Vantage GT3 race car concurrently, Aston Martin reaffirms its dedication to crafting the world’s finest sports cars and validating their capabilities on the racing circuit. This also signifies a stronger synergy between our road and racing programs, with Aston Martin Racing benefiting from the wealth of talent, experience, and expertise nurtured in Formula 1® and embodied throughout Aston Martin Performance Technologies.”
“The outcome is a cutting-edge GT racer, drawing from the latest Vantage road car’s lineage yet meticulously refined to comply with the latest GT3 regulations. Following the success of its predecessors, the new Vantage GT3 has captured the interest of top GT racing teams globally. Equipped with a competitive spirit and driven by the desire to uphold Aston Martin’s remarkable racing history, the Vantage GT3 is poised for triumph in the most prestigious endurance races across the globe.
An evolution of the Vantage GTE and GT3 vehicles that debuted in 2018, the Vantage GT3 shares its mechanical framework with the Vantage road model. It is constructed around Aston Martin’s proven bonded aluminum chassis structure and houses a potent twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine. Featuring a revised suspension, advanced electronics, and a new aerodynamic kit, this car is primed to dominate the realm of GT racing.
Designed to comply with all FIA GT3 class regulations, including the newly introduced LMGT3 category for 2024, the latest Vantage GT3 is globally competitive. It will participate in diverse GT series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship (IMSA), Fanatec GT World Challenge, European Le Mans Series (ELMS), and the Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS).
A collaborative effort between Aston Martin Racing (AMR) and Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) birthed the Vantage GT3. Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport, detailed, “The new GT3 serves as a platform for AMPT to leverage the resources, mindset, and methodologies of all of Aston Martin’s divisions, combining them with the GT program management expertise of AMR. The GT racing initiative will operate as a testing ground to promote knowledge exchange and approach for forthcoming Aston Martin road car models.”
Engineered to meet the benchmarks established by AMPT and executed by AMR, the new Vantage GT3 features enhancements directed at enhancing handling characteristics for optimal drivability, catering to both professional drivers and amateurs. An extensive development phase involving Aston Martin’s contracted professionals and selected amateur racers was conducted last year. Their feedback hailed the new Vantage GT3 as a forgiving and exceptionally rapid machine, offering a wide set-up range suited for the demands of elite-level GT racing.
Shown here is a visual representation of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Lead engineer Gustavo Betelli was tasked with achieving the ideal equilibrium between speed and drivability while adhering to the stringent Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations set by the FIA. The focus was on enhancing the car’s performance across diverse circuits, tire variations, and driver styles, while also adhering to the latest regulations.
“Given the heightened reliance on aerodynamic downforce in the new generation GT3 cars, our aim was to enhance the car’s stability during braking. The previous model exhibited significant dive under braking, necessitating control of pitch through the rear suspension setup. However, this led to stiffness, resulting in snappiness and excessive tire wear. Through extensive damper tuning, we attained a more balanced configuration in the new car, enabling us to generate downforce without compromising suspension setup. This has significantly improved consistency and stability across all conditions, ensuring more even tire wear and increasing strategic options for teams. The feedback from test drivers, particularly amateur racers, has been overwhelmingly positive. They have achieved lap times much closer to those of professionals. Now, the focus shifts to competitive racing!”.
Aesthetically, the Vantage GT3 merges the captivating design of the new Vantage road car with the aerodynamically efficient elements inherent to GT3 racing. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) played a pivotal role in achieving the desired aerodynamic efficiency targets while adhering to the FIA’s downforce limitations. Collaborative efforts of Aston Martin’s Design department ensured a harmonious fusion of form and function.
The Vantage GT3 stands out as a remarkable masterpiece, blending the muscular and distinctive design language of the Vantage road car with the fierce and poised essence of a thoroughbred racer. The new nose is a standout feature of the Vantage GT3. The widened grille aperture enhances both aesthetics and functionality, facilitating increased airflow for brake cooling, thereby ensuring consistent performance for drivers.
Constructed from carbon fiber, the nose embodies a single-piece clamshell design that allows for rapid removal and replacement in the event of mid-race damage. Housing a full-width laser light and a shortened splitter, the design shifts the center of pressure rearwards to reduce pitch sensitivity and enhance stability. Large louvers at the front wheel arches expel high-pressure air to counter lift, while more extensive louvers at the rear arches allow for the release of rear high-pressure air to minimize drag.
The extensive eligibility of the new Vantage GT3 has positioned it as the preferred choice for a growing array of Aston Martin Racing’s partner teams worldwide. Established names such as the longstanding AMR partners Heart of Racing and D’station Racing, alongside newcomers like Walkenhorst Motorsport from Germany and ComToYou Racing from Belgium, highlight the appeal of the Vantage GT3. Furthermore, Flying Lizard Motorsports, transitioning from Vantage GT4, will embrace the Vantage GT3 in the US. Projections suggest that up to 30 Vantage GT3s will be actively competing by the conclusion of the 2024 season.
The swift acclaim received by the AMR-manufactured vehicle underscores its capability, having made appearances at events like the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and gearing up for illustrious races like the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours, and the revered 24 Hours of Le Mans later in the year. The Vantage GT3 will actively partake in numerous national GT championships globally, including the Japanese Super GT Championship and British GT Championship, solidifying Aston Martin’s prominent position in the realm of motorsport.
Image Source: Zavatskiy Aleksandr / Shutterstock
