Swiss Blancpain Endurance Cup race-winning team R-Motorsport is set to enter Aston Martins into DTM in 2019, as part of AF Racing and HWA’s joint venture, with the requisite licence to compete in DTM from Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd now held by AF Racing AG.
This means that HWA – the most successful team in series’ history – will continue to compete following the departure of Mercedes at the end of this season, and comes mere months after HWA and AF Racing announced its technical partnership.
Affalterbach-based outfit (HWA) will have prime responsibility for the racing, development and testing of the programme, which will be entered under the R-Motorsport banner.
Notably, this gives DTM a third marque for 2019, something which Audi Sport has stated is crucial to it continuing to compete in the German touring car championship going forward after Mercedes announced its exit.
“The very heart of the DTM is to be found beating in Affalterbach,” said Ulrich Fritz, CEO of HWA. “This is where the ‘new era’ DTM was given a major boost, and it is home to the most successful team in the history of the series, namely HWA AG. After the many successful years we have spent collaborating with Mercedes-AMG, the entire team is thrilled to be writing a new chapter in the DTM with R-Motorsport and Aston Martin.
“In our planned joint venture, we have created an excellent basis for building on the successes of the past. It will certainly be a big challenge for all of us, but we will do our utmost to bring a competitive package to the start of the DTM season.”
R-Motorsport will enter up to four of Aston Martin Vantage-based silhouette cars in the medium term, organised and controlled by AF Racing AG from its headquarters in Niederwil near St. Gallen, Switzerland.
“The DTM entry of R-Motorsport under a design license from Aston Martin is a milestone of the development of our company”, said Dr. Florian Kamelger, co-owner of AF Racing AG and team principal of R-Motorsport.
“We are proud to have the opportunity in the intensively competitive international top race series. The DTM is one of the recognized international championships for touring and GT segment cars and the initiated extended internationalisation creates great perspectives. The DTM offers first class sport and is close to the fans and is the ideal presentation stage for us.”
For Aston Martin, aside from granting AF Racing the licence to race its cars, there will be limited involvement from the factory, Andy Palmer, president of Aston Martin Lagonda praising this venture as a testament to its ambitious customer base.
“We are pleased to welcome the engagement in DTM of AF Racing AG, an enduring partner of our company. This project shows the increasing interest in the Aston Martin brand from leading private teams such as R-Motorsport.
“Alongside our factory investment with Aston Martin Racing into the World Endurance Championship with the Vantage GTE, and our Aston Martin Racing commitments to customers and official partner teams in GT3 and GT4 the DTM entry of R-Motorsport provides an important extension to our other motorsport programmes. As new entrants into DTM, we wish R-Motorsport every success as they prepare for the 2019 season.”
R-Motorsport also makes it very clear that not only its endorsement for the collaborative Class 1 regulations between DTM and Super GT, but that “internationalisation” of the silhouette racing concept is a key component to its decision to enter the marketplace. The launch release suggests that it wishes to see Class 1 in markets beyond the current domestic German and Japanese series.
The initial number of Aston Martin cars and the drivers R-Motorsport will enter into DTM in 2018 will be announced in due course.
