24h Le Mans
Aston Martin Racing has unveiled its list of factory drivers for 2024. The squad is a balanced mix of experienced champions and new faces.
Nine drivers will officially fly the Aston Martin Racing flag in endurance in 2024. Three-time FIA World Endurance GT Champion Marco Sørensen leads the pack. The 33-year-old Dane, who won the LMGTE Am class at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans with TF Sport, has pledged his long-term future to the marque by signing a multi-year deal. He will compete in the LMGT3 class of the FIA WEC next season with Japanese team D’Station Racing. “I feel like I am in the prime of my career, and that I have a lot to bring to a works manufacturer programme,” Sørensen said. “So, to be able to commit to Aston Martin, which feels like my family after eight years of racing, at a time when it is developing so many new platforms and investing considerable energy into its racing programmes, is perfect for me. I’ve been with Aston Martin for a long time, and we’ve had a great deal of success together.”
Thirty-four-year-old Nicki Thiim is set to embark on his 12th consecutive season with Aston Martin. He partnered countryman Sørensen to two FIA WEC GTE Pro titles in 2016 and 2019/20. Thiim’s most recent success with Aston Martin came in the GTD class at this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona with the Magnus Racing team. “It’s always an honour to represent Aston Martin,” the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGTE Am class winner said. “I’m looking forward to being able to fight for championships again at the top level of GT racing with Vantage. There is still so much to win and still so much history to be made, I’m sure of that.”
The Aston Martin works driver contingent will boast three new faces in 2024, one of whom has yet to drive a Vantage. GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup holder Mattia Drudi (25) joins the team after five seasons as an Audi factory driver, along with 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGTE Am class winner Henrique Chaves (26), and David Pittard, the 31-year-old winner of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring this year.
Ross Gunn (26) will continue with Heart of Racing in the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship alongside Alex Riberas. Gunn has been part of the AMR family since 2015 when he won the British GT4 title with AMR Driver Academy graduate Jamie Chadwick.
One of the marque’s most successful GT drivers of all time is Jonny Adam (39) who will be back for his 14th season with Aston Martin. As well as winning the British GT championship four times, Adam also triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017 (LMGTE Pro) and 2020 (LMGTE Am).
Valentin Hasse Clot (27) will compete in the 2024 European Le Mans Series with Racing Spirit of Léman, last year’s Michelin Le Mans Cup winning team. The Frenchman is another product of the AMR Driver Academy.
Last but by no means least, Aston Martin legend Darren Turner is the ninth name on the 2024 roster. The 49-year-old stalwart has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 17 times, winning the LMGTE Pro class in 2017. Turner is about to commence his 20th season as an Aston Martin works driver!
Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance, said: “As we prepare to embark on a new era for Aston Martin in endurance racing, with the advent of newly developed evolutions of our Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and GT4 platforms, and of course the Valkyrie Hypercar programme that becomes a racing entity in 2025, we’ve assembled an ultra-competitive works driver line-up. This group of drivers knows how to win and is expert at extracting every ounce of performance from a GT car, while at the same time harnessing the endurance capabilities necessary to win at this level. We’re delighted to welcome three proven champions in Mattia, Henrique and David to this group, and we’re excited to see what they can all achieve in 2024 and beyond. As we move into a period of accelerated learning and development with our various racing platforms, this blend of pace and experience will be vital to achieving Aston Martin’s goal of maintaining our status as a force to be reckoned with among our peers at the top of world endurance competition.”
In 2024, Aston Martin will line up in the FIA WEC in the new LMGT3 class with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 as well as supplying cars to the Heart of Racing and D’Station Racing teams.
