Aston Martin DBR9/01

2005

Aston Martin Racing announced its plans to race a DB9 based GT1 racer in late 2004 and the car made it's race debut at the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring. Similar to the Acura ARX-01A we looked at last week, the DBR9 put the world on notice by taking an upset victory in its very first race! Driven by David Brabham, Darren Turner, and Stephane Ortelli, the green and yellow DBR9 conquered the goliath that is Corvette Racing their very first time out.

After the victory at Sebring, the cars returned to England where the competed in the Silverstone round of the FIA GT Championship, this time taking an overall victory at the hands of Pedro Lamy and Peter Kox! It was now clear that this car was for real and it's win at Sebring was no fluke. The real test would come the following month at the 24 Hours of le Mans in which would pit the factory Astons and Corvettes againste each other for the second time. This time the boys in yellow would take the victory when the DBR9 of Brabham, Turner, and Stephane Sarrazin ran into trouble. Still, a podium finish their first time at Le Mans is something to be proud of. Their next challenge was another endurance race, this time, the Spa 24 Hours where the car, driven by Lamy, Kox, and Marc Goossens finished a respectable 5th.

Later in the year, the two factory DBR9s returned to America to compete in the final 2 rounds of the American Le Mans Series. First up was the 10 hour Petit Le Mans which saw the DBR9 of Brabham, Turner, and Johnny Kane finish 2nd in class, bested again by the might of Corvette Racing. Two weeks later was the season finale at Laguna Seca in which Brabham and Turner brought their DBR9 home 4th in class.

Overall, it was 2005 was an incredible start for the Aston Martin DBR9. To be as competitive right out of the box, especially against the tough Corvette Racing team was a great accomplishment, and it was just the first of many chapters in this story!

2005 Results:

Key: Track (Date) - Drivers - Position in class/Position overall

#57 – American Le Mans Series 2005

• Sebring (03-19-05) – Brabham/Turner/Ortelli – 1/4
• Petit Le Mans (10-01-05) – Brabham/Turner/Kane – 2/4
• Laguna Seca (10-16-05) – Brabham/Turner – 4/10

#29 – FIA GT Championship 2005

• Silverstone (05-15-05) – Lamy/Kox – 1/1
• Spa 24 Hours (07-31-05) – Lamy/Kox/Goosens – 5/5
  

#59 – 24 Hours of Le Mans 2005

• Le Sarthe (06-19-05) – Brabham/Turner/Sarazzin – 3/9

2006

In its second year of competition, this DBR9 found itelf in the hands of the talented French outfit Larbre Competition. They'd been chose by the factory to be the Works supported team that would contest the Le Mans Series in Europe. The five race calendar would see the DBR9 raced by Pedro Lamy, Gabriel Gardel, and Vincent Vosse. The team took two victories in 2006 at Istanbul and the Nurburgring and took both the GT1 team and driver's championships!


2006 Results:

Key: Track (Date) - Drivers - Position in class/Position overall

#50 – Le Mans Series 2006

• Istanbul (04-09-06) – Lamy/Gardel/Vosse – 1/6
• Spa (05-14-06) – Lamy/Gardel/Vosse – 7/31 (DNF)
• Nurburgring (07-16-06) – Lamy/Gardel/Vosse – 1/10
• Donington (08-27-06) – Lamy/Gardel/Vosse – 5/20
• Jarama (09-24-06) – Lamy/Gardel/Vosse –2/7

2007

In 2007, Aston Martin DBR9/01 was again run by Larbre Competition. This year they expanded their program running the Le Mans Series, French GT Championship (FFSA GT), and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This car's entry in the 2007 Le Mans Series saw it piloted by Gregor Fisken, Steve Zacchia, and Gregory Franchia. Roland Berville and Fernando Rees joined Fisken and Zacchia in the season finale at Interlagos circuit in Brazil where the car took its only LMS win of the year.


In the FFSA GT, this car was driven by Patrick Bornhauser and Frederic Mackoweiki to two victories in 2007 (Nogaro and Magny-Cours). Larbre also entered this car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Berville, Bornhauser, and Fisken where they finished a dismal 13th in class.


2007 Results:

Key: Track (Date) - Drivers - Position in class/Position overall

#51 – Le Mans Series 2007

• Monza (04-15-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Franchi – 7/45 (DNF)
• Valencia (05-06-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Franchi – 6/28
• Nurburgring (07-01-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Franchi – 7/24
• Spa (08-19-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Franchi – 6/21
• Silverstone (09-16-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Franchi – 4/17
• Mil Milhas (11-10-07) – Fisken/Zacchia/Berville/Rees – 1/6

#006 – 24 Hours of Le Mans 2007

• Le Mans (06-17-07) – Fisken/Berville/Bornhauser – 13/29

#3 - French GT Championship (FFSA GT) 2007

• Nogaro - Race 1 (04-08-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 13/30 (DNF)
• Nogaro - Race 2 (04-08-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 5/5
• Ledenon - Race 1 (04-28-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 12/26 (DNF)
• Ledenon - Race 2 (04-29-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 4/4
• Dijon - Race 1 (05-12-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 6/6
• Dijon - Race 2 (05-13-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 3/3
• Val de Vienne - Race 1 (07-07-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 2/2
• Val de Vienne - Race 2 (07-08-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 3/3
• Albi - Race 1 (09-08-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 9/23 (DNF)
• Albi - Race 2 (09-09-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 11/24 (DNF)
• Nogaro - Race 1 (09-29-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 1/1
• Nogaro - Race 2 (09-30-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 6/10
• Magny-Cours - Race 1 (10-13-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 11/30 (DNF)
• Magny-Cours - Race 2 (10-14-07) – Bornhauser/Mackowiecki – 1/1