The ACO regulations Michelin Le Mans Cup Series, which once again hosts a two-race schedule at the Circuit de La Sarthe as part of their Road to Le Mans Event, is one of the supporting series competing at this week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Blackthorn AMR team’s two Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 entries for the Le Mans Cup are scheduled to make their first two vehicle appearances of the season alongside those of Martin Berry and Lorcan Hanafin, according to team head Claude Bovet and David McDonald.
The absence of fresh chassis and conversion kits meant that the Cotswold-based team had to miss the season’s first round in Barcelona in mid-April. However, just a month ago, the squad competed with a single Aston Martin from Paul Ricard at the next event. A two-car entry (as advertised) into this week’s Le Mans events has been strongly confirmed by additional testing conducted at Paul Ricard in recent weeks. It is yet unknown whether this new partnership is a one-time occurrence or permanent, as Berry and Hanafin already made up two thirds of the Grid Motorsport by TF Sport European Le Mans Series entry alongside Jonny Adam in their #97 car.
Another ELMS full season competitor is joining them in the Road to Le Mans GT3 ranks. Derek DeBoer is racing with AMR factory driver in their #95 Racing Spirit of Leman AMR Vantage GT3 entry, which is part of an 18-car GT3 entry alongside a 40-car LMP3 entry. As long as everyone can keep things on the tarmac and avoid the occasionally unavoidable Safety Car interventions, Aston Martin Racing has had success in the past during the two designated fifty-five-minute races on Thursday and Saturday. This year is no different.
In this class, the Heart of Racing team will also be racing, using a Mercedes AMG GT3 prepped by SPS Performance, while a recovering Valentin Pierburg shows Gary Newell the way around the track. On Wednesday morning, Free Practice 1 takes place on the track, followed by Free Practice 2 in the evening. Before the second race on Saturday morning at 10:35 local time, which will precede the build to the start of the 24-hour race itself, there will be two qualifying sessions on Thursday morning. The first race will begin at 18:30 local time.
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