You practice, hard and fast!
Since announcing its intention to compete in the ADAC TOTAL 24h Race, one of the world’s most gruelling 24-hour races, the Garage 59 team has been busy preparing for the challenge.
Earlier this month the team entered Round 4 of the Nürburgring Endurance Series, a four-hour race around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, a track famous for its thrilling combination of 154 turns through the Eifel forest, dubbed the “Green Hell”.
The team’s weapon of choice for the SP8T class was the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 but for the six-hour fifth round they have stepped up a gear. This weekend’s race will serve as a pre-24h shakedown of the brand new Vantage GT8R performance upgrade, which provides this racing Vantage with more power, more downforce and a reduction in weight.
As well as strengthening the car, the team will enhance the driving squad for this race with the addition of three-time Le Mans winner and Aston Martin factory driver, Darren Turner, a long-time enthusiast of the Nordschleife. Turner joins Alexander West and Chris Goodwin for Round 5, in preparation for the full assault on the ADAC TOTAL 24h Race at the end of September.
“I’m very happy to be joining the Garage 59 team this weekend,” said Turner. “The last time I raced at the Nordschleife was in last year’s 24-hour race in the Vantage GT4 so I can’t wait to get out there and try the GT8R package, which will be a big step forward in terms of outright pace. The Nordschleife is a magical place and there is always a real sense of excitement when you head to Germany to race there. No doubt we will be in for mixed conditions but that will just help us to prepare for the 24-hour race next month.”
Round 5 of the Nürburgring Endurance Series will begin on Saturday 29th August at 12:00hrs CET.
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