• GT3RS pursued by a Vanquish
  
  Until earlier this month, I was a track day virgin. Whilst I’d driven my cars around some circuits, including Le Mans on the day of the 24-hours race, I’d never really considered a track day. That was partly because I have no racing driver ambitions and certainly not the budget that goes with the hobby... at least where Aston Martins are concerned!

  All that changed when Richard Furse booked a day at Trac Mon, Anglesey to host the inaugural AstonOwners.com Track Day. And what a day it was.

  Trac Mon is a beautiful location on the west coast of the island, overlooking the Llŷn Peninsular on the mainland. It was conceived by ARDS founder member, Richard Peacock, and opened in 1997. It was upgraded in 2007 and now boasts a 2.1-miles, 20-meters wide surface with excellent pits and control buildings, hosting all sorts of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled motorsports and testing.

  Trac Mon is beautiful, especially when the sun pops out!
  
  The invitation said: “Bring along something interesting and a helmet.” Being a motorcyclist enabled me to tick the latter box, and the DB6 was crying out for a decent run. Somerset to North Wales and back ticked the other box.

  Making a ‘weekend’ of it (actually, Wednesday to Friday) meant that we would be driving there and back in lovely dry autumn weather. However, Storm Benjamin was also planning to be at our Thursday track day. I wondered if that might put some people off.

  We set off on Thursday morning from our overnight stay, in a small and very quickly separated convoy: Alpine 110, Porsche 911 (930), Lotus Elan, Mini Cooper S and others. It was cold, damp, slippery and, for all bar the modern Alpine, steamed up! I was driving the Porsche with the phrase ‘Whale Tail Widow Maker’ rattling around my head (albeit, this was a non-turbo version).

  We all arrived at the circuit around 09:30 for a very welcome coffee to accompany our driver briefing. It was also the beginning of the rain and the wind. Neither let up until it was home time, by when we could just make out the horizon through the rain lashed windows. More of that later.
  
  
  Rain? What rain?

  Our host for the day was circuit owner, Sir George Meyrick. He was ably supported throughout the day by his very warm, friendly and expert team. George welcomed us all and asked that we introduce ourselves – including some pre-17 aged youngsters – before instructor, Stewart, took over to explain the circuit layout, protocols, marshalling, flags, etc.
  
  Sir George (seated) was our terrific host

  We then followed Stewart’s course car to learn the route. Leaving the pitlane on a sweeping left hander followed by a less sweeping right onto the (bent) straight. Accelerating right, up the hill then a tight left/right at the crest before the first of two straight straights with a 180 degrees right-hander separating them. The next left was challenging, tight and off-camber with a short straight before the medium left onto the start/finish straight.

  It was then time to choose a car and have some fun.

  The variety of car types and ages, along with the dreadful weather, ruled out any subconscious thoughts of racing. The sideways rain, slightly flooded sections and paucity of windscreen wiping function on some of the cars dictated more of a self-preservation frame of mind.

  But boy was it fun!

  I swapped the Porsche for Steve Richards’ Alpine. What a car. In sport mode, its response to braking and acceleration, with terrific popping and banging soundtrack, was epic.
  
  The Alpine A110, epic!

  It was then my turn in a 1969 Lotus Elan that’s been tweaked for the track. More (real) popping and banging, but this time accompanied by wind noise from the very draughty roof. What fun.
  
  Lively little Elan

  My first ever drive of a Mini (yes, really) was next up. My passenger for this trip was 9-years old Annabel who, provided we shouted loud enough, could just make out what we were saying to each other. She loved the indicator lamp that blinked from the end of the stalk. I used it quite a lot to keep out of the way of a 911 GT3RS and one of the two Vanquishes circulating at the same time. I invited my guest to guess the car’s age. She thought it was 80. It’s often regarded as ahead of its time, but perhaps not by that much!

  A scrumptious lunch spread was enjoyed by all, especially the marshalls who received a well-deserved round of applause when they came in for theirs. Not only were they looking out for us at intervals around the track, but also watching over the youngsters who were given driving experiences based on their size and skill level. Encouraging the next generation of petrolheads was a particularly laudable aspect of the day.

  After lunch, I took out Richard’s Vanquish, a car I’m very familiar with, having driven it over a thousand miles during last winter. It was very impressive on the track, inspiring confidence under braking and always sounding awesome.
  
  The Vanquishes were impressive

  My final excursion was sitting beside instructor, Stewart, who, during a short red flag break, talked me through the principles of circuit driving. He talked about overall smoothness and how corners are usually set up two in advance to avoid mid-corner steering adjustments. A few fast laps, in slightly improved conditions (meaning I could sometimes see the sea) confirmed that all but one of my lines were correct (the immediate right after the sharp left-hander needed rethinking). I mention this, not as a boast, but rather that my correct  instincts were based on motorcycling experience, where applying the power too soon doesn’t result in a spin off nor a quick recovery!

  In chatting with others afterwards, we all agreed that the conditions made the day better in some ways. Learning to handle a car, especially a powerful one, at speed on a wet surface, is immensely helpful in terms of our road driving competence. Knowing that the car can cope and, in some cases, exceeding the grip available, shows just how far you can tempt fate. Applying that learning, and factoring in oncoming traffic, road paint, manhole covers and wet leaves, etc. means there should always be a margin for error if ever emergency action is required.

  The Vanquish owners also learned how their cars responded to different tyres (Michelin v Yokohama). Another useful fact and an unexpected benefit of the day.

  There was also the perhaps inevitable debate about “which car was the best”?

Smart Lancia Fulvia Zagato

No longer a track day virgin, I’m now looking forward to the 2026 Second AstonOwners.com Annual Track Day.

You can register your interest here and we’ll come back to you nearer the time.

Remember, bring something interesting and if you bend it, you mend it!

To see a short video of our exploits, see HERE.

More photos:

The whale tail was almost literal!

Escort MkII BDA fresh from restoration but didn't manage a lap, unfortunately

Author pedals the 911 home after a great day out

Whilst the above title might suggest a training course in a 1960s prefab, every one of those of our subscribers who were able to come along to visit Grainger & Worrall and Classic Motor Cars in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, will attest to a fascinating insight into two very specialised – and interesting – businesses.

Having been to Classic Motor Cars (CMC) a few years ago, I had some idea that it’s a very suitable place to entertain a group who have any interest, no matter how small, in cars. Having such interest is not usually a problem for Aston owners.

CMC is famous to some through their restoration of the Aston Martin Bulldog to deliver its 200+mph potential last year. More on that later.

However, given that it’s a fair drive from Somerset (in my case) and perhaps likewise for others, I wanted to turn it into an overnight event. I had been told that Grainger & Worrall (G&W) nearby would be worth contacting. Thus, armed with that information and a suggestion from CMC about a suitable place to stay, the weekend gig was added to the calendar.

I knew little about G&W before booking our visit and so didn’t know what to expect on a Friday afternoon in May, but what a revelation!

We were greeted and security checked by receptionist and Aston fan, Wendy Parry. Security, hmmm, sounds serious. You bet it is!

G&W is a long-established engineering business that now focusses almost entirely on developmental castings of aluminium for hi-end customers (think Bugatti, Koenigsegg, McLaren, Formula 1, etc. and of course, Aston Martin). Their work is delivered worldwide for automotive, aerospace and defence installations and includes everything from metallurgical testing to 3D printing in sand. They are an example of an internationally successful British company that you’ve probably never heard of.

Inevitably, photographs were not allowed (except for our group shot outside) but no questions were ducked by our host and guide, Group Commercial Director, Jay Schofield. Jay’s expertise shone through in every explanation and every question answered. It seemed to me that his job entails, at least in part, travelling the world, meeting potential customers and saying “yes, we can do that”.

Fellow host, Katrina Thomason, topped and tailed our visit by delivering the protective clothing at the outset and surprise goody bags as we were leaving after more than 3 hours on site. She has since confirmed their happiness to host us again if we’d like.

Jay (left, beard), Katrina (centre, green top) and Wendy (right) were our hosts at G&W

An unexpected and very welcome goody bag came home with us

A hearty meal and good sleep at the nearby Down Inn (now added to our list of Aston-friendly places: plenty of parking space there) the next day, Saturday, was our visit to CMC.

We arrived to find a colourful array of classic Astons lined up in the sunshine. Quite a welcoming sight, and a big line up by the time we’d added a few more cars to the display.

Tim Griffin is the boss, officially CMC’s Production & Engineering Director, and was the host of our visit, ably supported by daughter Ella who assists in looking after much of the business’s PR and social media activities. Again, customer confidentiality about the more than 150 vehicles on site meant we couldn’t take photos, but Ella’s camera was on hand to help out with supporting shots.

Like the day before, we were treated to in-depth expertise, this time about every aspect of repairing, restoring, maintaining and storing fine and classic motor vehicles. Tim was clearly in his element demonstrating how to use a wheel (that’s an ‘English Wheel’ for readers outside the UK) to shape steel and aluminium.

Photo: Ella Griffin

We also spent some time discussing Bulldog in terms of its structure, future commitments and potential if really pushed… it reached 200+ mph last year in a fairly unstressed state!

Work on cars ranged from a Rolls Royce needing some trim repairs, to a selection of William Towns micro and electric cars of the 1970s. There was a toolroom copy of the Lindner Nocker e-Type Lightweight present, which CMC had built for a client (the original was restored by the CMC Team in 2007) along with one of the famous Ogle DBS V8s… and lots more besides.

We ended our tour in the huge storage area which not only houses many cars and bikes but also supports a local Fire & Rescue charity by providing vehicle and training space.

It was time to leave after another 3+ hours spent in engaging expert company.

My closing thanks to Tim and his team included a reference to CMC’s ‘club’ discount scheme that subscribers to AstonOwners.com can now take advantage of… delivering big company expertise at small company rates (coming soon).

The Astons were outside and so the Jaguar took centre stage for our group photo! (c/o Ella)

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Aston Martin Lagonda's third quarter revenue was up 15% to £362.1m, reflecting an 11% increase in average selling price to £234,000. The DB12 production ramp up was temporarily affected by production issues, impacting volumes. Full year volumes are now expected to be around 6,700, down from previous guidance of around 7,000.

There was an underlying operating loss of £48.4m, a 13% improvement on the same time last year.

Net debt was broadly flat at £750m as at the end of the period, compared to the start of the year.

Underlying cash profit margins are still expected to reach around 20% for the full year.

The shares fell 16.3% following the announcement.

• Five Vantage GT3s to fight for Asian Le Mans Series GT supremacy
• Bullitt Racing, D’station Racing, TF Sport and Viper NIZA Racing all chasing winner’s automatic entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans
• Aston Martin works drivers Jonny Adam, Ross Gunn and Valentin Hasse Clot feature in strong partner team line-ups
• IMSA GTD title-winning Vantage GT3 on a roll after glorious victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona

Thursday 9 February, 2023, Gaydon. Hot off the back of a stunning GTD class victory in the Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, Aston Martin’s ultra-successful, multiple championship-winning Vantage returns to the international motorsport arena for the opening rounds of the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series, which kicks-off at the Dubai Autodrome this weekend.

No less than five Vantage GT3s, all based on the ultra-luxury British sportscar brand’s critically acclaimed roadgoing version that shares the same aluminium chassis and four-litre V8 turbocharged engine, are entered for the four-race, two-event series in Dubai and then Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit the following weekend.

The quintet of Vantages are prepared by four Aston Martin Racing [AMR] partner teams in attendance, and they will be fully supported by Aston Martin Racing’s Asian regional distributor, Motorsports Services AMR Asia. Spearheading those four teams will be D’station Racing and Viper Niza Racing’s operations. FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE-Am champions and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner TF Sport has entered two cars (and will assist D’station Racing as it does in WEC), while AMR’s Spanish distributor and team, Bullitt Racing, will make its series debut in Dubai.

Japanese squad, FIA WEC GTELM Am class front-runner and previous Asian Le Mans Series race-winner D’station Racing, will field its #77 Vantage GT3 for team owner Satoshi Hoshino (JPN), Tomonobu Fujii (JPN), and Charlie Fagg (GBR). Viper Niza Racing meanwhile makes its Aston Martin debut in the Asian Le Mans Series with its regular Thailand Super Series line-up that comprises team owner Douglas Khoo (MAL) and team-mate Dominic Ang (MAL).

TF Sport returns to the series with its 2023 European Le Mans Series line-up of John Hartshorne (GB), double 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner and works driver Jonny Adam (GB) and reigning FIA WEC GTELM Am vice-champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Henrique Chaves in the #95 Vantage. Joining them in the team is long-time Chinese GT Aston Martin racer David Pun, racing under a Chinese flag, in the #61 car. He will be partnered by IMSA GTD Pro race winner and works driver Ross Gunn (GBR), who raced alongside Pun in the Chinese series in 2019. Adrian Henry D’Silva (MAL) will also drive in the car.

Bullitt Racing, a 2022 Le Mans Cup front-runner makes its debut in this year’s Asian Le Mans Series and brings with it a very strong driver line-up comprising Martin Berry (CDN), Jacob Riegel (DEU) and works driver Valentin Hasse Clot (FRA).

Huw Tasker, Head of AMR Partner Racing, said: “Interest from the Asian sector of the motorsport market is growing phenomenally quickly, particularly in GT racing. We know from other areas of international motorsport that Vantage is a highly competitive proposition in the hands of professional drivers, aspiring amateurs and gentleman racers alike and this year’s Asian Le Mans Series is another opportunity for us to prove that is the case. It’s fantastic to see D’station Racing and Viper Niza leading the charge for Aston Martin in the Asian Le Mans Series, and we’re certain that also having very strong entries from TF Sport and Bullitt Racing Vantage is very well represented in Dubai this weekend, and next week in Abu Dhabi.”

The Asian Le Mans Series will be contested over two consecutive weekends, with the first two four-hours races taking place in Dubai on Saturday, 11 February at 1500 (+4 hours GMT) and Sunday 12 February at 1500 (+4 hours GMT). The final two rounds will take place at the Yas Marina Grand Prix circuit in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 18 February and Sunday 19 February.

Free practice begins on Friday with GT class qualifying for Round 1 and 2 taking place on Saturday 11 February at 1040 (+4 Hours GMT).

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Aston Martin and TF Sport crowned GTE Am world title winners in Bahrain FIA World Endurance Championship finale

• TF Sport beat NorthWest AMR to GTE Am world crown in tense finale
• Aston Martin increases FIA WEC title tally to 11 championships
• Vantage success story continues with fourth world title in three years
• Marco Sørensen takes third world title, Ben Keating wins maiden crown

12 November, 2022, Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain: The Aston Martin Vantage GTE is a world-beater once again after the British-built racing car clinched the FIA World Endurance Trophies for GTE Am drivers and teams at a dramatic season showdown – the BAPCO 8 Hours of Bahrain.

Ben Keating (USA) and Marco Sørensen (DEN) were crowned Drivers’ champions with Aston Martin Racing Partner Team TF Sport the Teams’ title winner, having finished fourth in a tense finale. After a season-long rivalry with fellow Partner Team NorthWest AMR, Keating and Sørensen, who were partnered by Henrique Chaves (POR) in Bahrain, eventually triumphed by 23 points.

This latest brace of world titles caps a spectacular year for the British ultra-luxury brand in sportscar racing as Vantage, powered by a race-developed version of the four-litre, twin turbo-charged V8 engine found in the road car from which it is derived, also clinched its first overall IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in North America.

The Heart of Racing won the GTD class of the premium US endurance series last month, with Roman De Angelis in the Vantage GT3 – which also starred at the Nürburgring 24 Hours – while the Vantage GT4 won multiple titles around Europe and the USA.

Keating and Aston Martin works driver Sørensen began the 8 Hours of Bahrain with a 20-point advantage over NorthWest AMR and its #98 trio of Paul Dalla Lana (CDN), two-time WEC champion Nicki Thiim (DEN) and David Pittard (GBR), with 39 points available.

Keating qualified second in class and ran a punishing triple-stint at the start of the race, meaning he achieved his minimum drive time at the earliest opportunity and provided the team with the most flexible strategy for the remainder of the race, which finished in darkness.

This proved the correct decision as the #33 trio – who lost ground thanks to a pair of unfortunately-timed Full-Course Yellow periods immediately after their first two green-flag pitstops – bounced back to finish fourth; enough to clinch the title by 23 points over the NorthWest AMR crew, who came home fifth.

It is a first FIA world title for Keating and a third for Sørensen, who has claimed all his WEC crowns with Vantage. Chaves finished third in the points - behind the #98 crew of Dalla Lana, Pittard and Thiim – as he was not part of the TF line-up at the Sebring season-opener.

After a gruelling and hard-fought season, Vantage has been the class of the field in GTE Am with three victories and eight podiums in the six rounds contested, including the Sebring 1000 miles, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Fuji.

It is the second time that Vantage crews have finished first and second in the GTE Am Drivers’ and Teams’ points and rewards TF Sport’s long pursuit of the title; the British team having finished second overall in GTE Am in each of the previous two seasons.

The result concludes a season of domination by the Vantage GTE, which is based on the four-litre, twin-turbo, front-engined road vehicle, produced at Gaydon, UK.

Fellow Aston Martin’s Partner Team, D’station Racing, finished 10th in Bahrain thanks to a consistent performance by Japanese drivers Satoshi Hoshino and Tomonobu Fujii, and British WEC rookie Charlie Fagg. The trio, who were another crew to be badly affected by the timing of the first two Full-Course Yellows, gave D’station 10th place in the end-of-season Teams’ standings.

Marco Sørensen said: “This is a fantastic achievement for all of us. There have been a lot of crucial moments across the year; Le Mans – which I’d never won before – being the biggest; one that’s very special to be able to put on your CV. When it comes to winning a world championship, you must have a group of drivers who can show pace over a whole season and a car that can help them deliver it. We’ve been consistent at most of the races and not made any bad mistakes. That’s how you win in the WEC and we’ve had an outstanding team performance all year to achieve this.”

Huw Tasker, Head of AMR Partner Racing, said: “Today is an incredible day for Aston Martin and Vantage that wraps up an extraordinary season on the racetrack. Huge congratulations to TF Sport, to Ben Keating and to Marco Sørensen on their World Endurance Championship titles and to NorthWest AMR for their success in the magnificent one-two finish in the GTE Am standings. These latest successes – which take the Vantage GTE to 11 FIA World Endurance titles since the formation of the championship in 2012 – are a testament to not only the production model from which it is derived, but also to the hard work and dedication of our Partner Teams that have worked so hard to achieve the greatest prize in endurance racing. In a year in which the Vantage GT3 has clinched the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Vantage GT4 has recorded multiple titles around the world, success in WEC GTE Am is the crowning glory and a worthy testament to the performance and durability of a truly great endurance racing car.”

A lot is changing for Aston Martin this coming season. For instance, it is saying goodbye to Vettel, who is leaving Formula 1, and welcoming Fernando Alonso. Together with the Spaniard, the racing stable hopes to achieve the following goal.

"We want to get to the front of the midfield pack and then start charging ahead," argues McCullough on its official website. "We tried to be aggressive as we could this year, but with the budget cap and resources available this has been difficult. There are parts that we would love to have made."

"For 2023, we've got to put all our ideas and learnings from this year together to deliver a significantly better car. It's all relative though, as every other team will be doing the same. We think the path we're now on is the right one, and we'll be able to iterate our 2023 car to consistently deliver more performance."

Aston Martin shares fell 17% despite reporting higher Q3 revenues.

• The company’s losses ballooned due to negative FX headwinds.
• However, the firm’s prospects remain incredibly bullish.

The Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC (LON: AML) share price fell 17% despite reporting that its Q3 revenues surged by 33% to £316 million, driven by higher average selling prices (ASP) of £189,000 compared to Q3 2021’s £148,000 ASP.

The high prices paid by customers helped offset the lower wholesale unit sales, which fell 4% to 4,060 units for the nine months to 30 September 2022, versus the 4,250 units sold at wholesale prices in a similar period last year.

While the higher revenues were impressive, Aston Martin shares fell after the ultra-luxury car manufacturer revealed that it had made an operating loss of £148 million, including a £71 million annualised increase in depreciation and amortisation costs.

Aston Martin’s pretax losses rose to £511 million, driven primarily by a £245 million negative non-cash FX reassessment of its US dollar-denominated debt. The loss was fueled by the British pound’s decline against the dollar.

Investors were unhappy to see the significant negative impact of the pound’s weakness on the company’s profits, which is expected given that it is a UK-based firm that prices most of its products in British pounds instead of US dollars.

The ultra-luxury car manufacturer’s capital expenditures rose to £213 million as it worked on new sports vehicle models to be produced starting next year. The company also spent £106 million as part of its working capital outflows bringing its total cash outflows to £336 million.

Aston Martin noted that due to temporary supply chain and logistics interruptions, it still needed to finish about 400 cars by the end of September, which were awaiting final parts and will be delivered in Q4.

The company’s prospects are still promising as retail demand for its cars outpaces wholesale demand. With the company investing in its production capacity, it is much closer to meeting its 10,000 wholesale unit sales goal by 2024.

The company’s new vehicles continued to sell out shortly after launch, including its New V12 Vantage Roadster, New V12 Vantage Coupe and its Ultra-exclusive DBR22, all sold out before they could begin production.