Get unlimited access for free
You have only 5 articles remaining to view this month.
The organisation behind McLaren’s first two generations of GT3 contender will run Aston Martins in 2019 following its split from its former partner.
The company formerly known as CRS, which developed the MP4-12C and 650S GT3 racers as McLaren GT, will field a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT3s under the Garage 59 banner in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and enter selected Intercontinental GT Challenge events this season.
The move follows the establishment of an in-house motorsport department at McLaren Automotive to produce a new GT3 car, the 720S, and a court ruling that went against the former CRS team last year over the rights to continue to provide service for the MP4-12C and the 650S.
One Vantage will be entered in the pro class of the BGTS enduros and a second in the amateur class by Garage 59, whose parent company is now called West Racing.
Its IGTC programme will include one-car assaults on the Suzuka 10 Hours in August and the revived Kyalami 9 Hours fixture in November, as well as its participation in the Spa 24 Hours BGTS round in July.
Garage 59, which operates out of premises in the East Midlands, will have the highest level of customer support from the Prodrive-run Aston Martin Racing organisation.
Team principal Andrew Kirkaldy said: “We’re delighted with our new partnership with Aston Martin and we very much look forward to working with them.
“The Vantage GT3 looks like a promising race car: it’s a very high-end GT based on a strong foundation car so we have high hopes for the season ahead.”
AMR president David King described Garage 59’s switch to the Vantage as a “strong endorsement of the potential of the new car and AMR’s ability to deliver competitive, customer-focused machinery”.
Drivers have yet to be announced for the Garage 59 Astons.
The team will test its Vantages for the first time at Paul Ricard this week with factory Aston driver Jonny Adam, team regular Andrew Watson and Chris Goodwin, a key player in the McLaren GT set-up.
CRS formerly ran Ferraris in the international GT arena before linking up with McLaren in 2010.
It established CRS GT and developed the MP4-12C under licence from McLaren Automotive.
The team started using the Garage 59 name in tribute to the race number of the Le Mans 24 Hours-winning McLaren F1 GTR of 1995.
Garage 59 ran full BGTS Endurance Cup programmes in 2016 and ’18 with the 650S.