The seventh round of the GT4 Challenge of Great Britain will take place this weekend at the iconic Brands Hatch circuit in Kent on Saturday 27 August.
In only its second year the one-make, factory-backed Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain has already visited some spectacular circuits and seen exhilarating action, firmly cementing itself as one of the highest calibre single-marque racing events. The cars, which are closely based on the road-going V8 Vantage and V8 Vantage S models, are an ideal first step on the GT racing ladder.
Throughout the season there has been a closely fought battle at the top between regulars Vantage Racing and Nicholas Mee Racing, however throughout the pack the competition has been strong. The final two rounds will decide which team will have achieved the most success in 2011.
The Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain has so far visited: Silverstone, Snetterton, Donington, Spa Francorchamps, and Oulton Park The close yet fair competition, camaraderie amongst the participants and the shared passion for the Aston Martin Vantage raced by all, make the GT4 Challenge of Great Britain a truly unique experience.
Brands Hatch offers a world-class arena for teams and spectators alike. Racing on the ‘Indy’ circuit drivers will enjoy the likes of ‘Brabham straight’ and ‘Graham Hill bend’ whilst spectators will enjoy an amphitheatre style view of almost the entire circuit.
Practice and qualifying begin at 09:40 and are due to conclude at 10:10 with the race beginning at 14:20. For those wishing to make a day of it, Brands Hatch will also be playing host to the AMOC race meeting featuring cars from throughout Aston Martin’s illustrious history.
After this weekend, the Challenge will head to the final round at Dijon Prenois, France on the 10th and 11th of September.
About the Vantage N24/GT4
The Aston Martin Vantage road car was launched to global acclaim in 2005 and has since gone on to become the most successful Aston Martin of all time. Its handling and durability were honed on test tracks around the world, including the Nürburgring where, like all the company’s new models, it completed a 10,000km durability sign-off test prior to public launch.
As a further public demonstration of its capabilities, a small team of factory engineers and technicians prepared an almost standard Vantage for the 2006 Nürburgring 24 hour race. With Chief Executive Dr Ulrich Bez leading the driving team, the bright yellow car took a remarkable and trouble-free 24th overall from over 200 starters. Shortly afterwards, to celebrate this achievement and prompted by numerous enquiries from customers, Dr Bez announced a plan to build twenty four cars to the same racing specification for sale to customers and the Vantage N24 was born.
The initial batch of 24 cars sold out rapidly and to date over 100 cars have been built. In 2009 the car was upgraded with the company’s new 4.7 litre V8 engine replacing the 4.3 litre and the car was renamed Vantage GT4. FIA performance balancing measures ensure both versions can compete on equal terms.
In December 2010, Aston Martin Racing announced the 2011 specification Vantage GT4 featuring a new aero package inspired by the V8 Vantage S and further enhancements to the engine and ABS / traction control system.
The Car Spy 