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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">LE MANS</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">28/12/2000</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Aston Martin</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">They're Coming Back</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/rtinBackLE%20.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> Nothing stays exclusive on the web for long, but Sportscar World / TotalMotorSport are the first to reveal the news that a gentleman named Les Edgar has entered into an exclusive arrangement with Aston Martin to conduct a feasibility study to investigate the possibility of jointly developing a competitive GT racing car with the objective of competing in endurance racing worldwide commencing late 2001 or early 2002.<BR> <BR> The feasibility study is expected to be complete by the end of February, and if the results of that are satisfactory, Aston Martin will be back in endurance racing. Les Edgar has retained the services of Michael Cane’s GTC Competition and Chris Goodwin to assist with the project.<BR> <BR> Those are the bare, rather low key, facts. The reality should be that the Aston Martin Vanquish will be on the track late in 2001, with one logical, but unconfirmed, target being Le Mans the following year.<BR> <BR> At its launch in October, the Vanquish was described by the company as “the most sophisticated and technologically advanced new model ever to be designed, developed and built by Aston Martin.” The six litre V12-engined Vanquish goes on sale as a road car in the spring.<BR> <BR> Graham Humphrys is thought to be in charge of the development of the race car. It seems very appropriate that Michael Cane’s GTC and Chris Goodwin are heavily involved in the project. GTC Competition are multiple GT champions with the McLaren F1, and their Le Mans experience is considerable. GTC excel at keeping their entries in the pits for the least time imaginable, and managed two outstanding results with the F1 GTR in 1997 and 1998. Chris Goodwin has extensive GT experience, which includes Le Mans with GTC.<BR> <BR> For Aston Martin, it is hoped that this will be the return to Le Mans for the first time (as a works entry) since the aborted effort in 1989. The AMR1 – with that glorious-sounding V8 - managed 11th overall in ‘89, and followed that with a resounding drive by David Leslie and Brain Redman to fourth at Brands Hatch.<BR> <BR> The DBR1s finished first and second at Le Mans in 1959, with Paul Frère at the wheel of the second placed car. It will be completely appropriate if he is present in 2002.<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>