* Aston Martin Vantage achieves its first WEC win of 2026, in the Lone Star Le Mans race at the Circuit of the Americas
* Heart of Racing Team claims first double podium in FIA World Endurance Championship at its home race
Zach Robichon and Mattia Drudi claim maiden WEC victory alongside team principal Ian James, who won at COTA for the second time in three years
* THOR locks out front row in qualifying for US round of WEC on Saturday
* Aston Martin partner team Grange Racing by FSR claim British GT GT4 Pro-Am title on its debut season with Aston Martin Vantage
Austin, TX, USA: Vantage, the most successful racing car in the history of Aston Martin, claimed its first victory of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship [WEC] when Aston Martin partner team the Heart of Racing Team won the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas [COTA] with Ian James (GBR), Mattia Drudi (ITA) and Zach Robichon (CDN).
The US-based team finished first and third – its first double podium in WEC – with the pole-setting #23 Vantage GT3 of Gray Newell (USA), Dudu Barrichello (BRA) and Jonny Adam (GBR) claiming the final podium place. It was the trio’s second podium in three races, following third place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
It was a sparkling weekend for Vantage, which also included its first WEC front-row lockout for the latest generation of this remarkable GT3 racer, which shares its mechanical architecture with the ultra-luxury performance brand’s most focused sportscar built around Aston Martin’s proven bonded aluminium chassis and powered by its fearsome twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine.
From second place on the grid, James held his nerve in a challenging first hour, staying out of trouble while remaining in contention throughout. He handed the #27 Vantage GT3 over to Robichon in second place. The Canadian then converted that into the lead of the class in the second hour, passing the front-running Porsche. His competitive stint complete, Robichon made way for Drudi to complete the job. The Italian soaked up the pressure of a late-race Safety Car before pulling clear of the Porsche during the final 45 minutes, ensuring the #27 Vantage claimed its second victory at COTA in three years.
“This was an exemplary performance from Vantage, and a fantastic result for our partner team, the Heart of Racing Team,” said Aston Martin Head of Endurance Adam Carter. “Vantage has been a competitive force in WEC throughout 2026, and this victory feels long overdue. So to see both THOR crews up on the podium just underlines how well the car performed this weekend and just what a high level the team is operating at.”
The #23 Vantage GT3 ran consistently inside the top six throughout a closely contested event, thanks to strong stints from Newell and Adam. After that final Safety Car period ended, the #23 found itself in a fierce fight for third position, with the promising young Barrichello claiming his second podium in three races, following third place at Le Mans in June.
“That was probably one of the toughest stints of my life,” Drudi said after taking the chequered flag. “The team did a very good job with the strategy, undercutting the cars in front when Zach and I swapped. After one and a half seasons trying to get this win, we’ve always been tripped up by something that stopped us from achieving our goal. Now, finally, it feels good to get our first win, and to have the #23 in third position. I’m really happy.”
Fellow first-time WEC winner Robichon said: “Relief is the prevailing feeling right now. We’ve been so close so many times, and we’ve done so much to deserve this over the past two years. It just goes to show what we can do when we have a clean race. Right now we can be proud of ourselves and enjoy the moment.”
“It feels like we have finally got the monkey off our back,” added James, who is also the THOR team principal. “We’ve been so close over the last two seasons, and to come here, have such an impressive weekend all around and finish first and third speaks volumes about this team and what we can do.”
The result elevates the #23 Heart of Racing Team entry to fourth in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams, level on 49 points with the third-placed #92 Porsche and 27 points behind the championship leader. The victorious #27 Vantage moves up to sixth with 44 points. With 78 points still available across the final three rounds, both crews remain in title contention. In the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Drivers, Newell and Adam are sixth with 49 points, while James, Drudi and Robichon have moved up to ninth, five points behind their team-mates.
VANTAGE A CHAMPION IN BRITISH GT4 THANKS TO GRANGE RACING BY FSR
Aston Martin partner team Grange Racing by FSR and its drivers Daniel Lavery (GBR) and Darren Turner (GBR) claimed the British GT GT4 Pro-Am Class title with a race to spare, at Donington Park on Sunday.
The team, newly formed at the beginning of 2026, recorded its fifth consecutive class victory in a rain-affected two-hour race. The accolade underlines a remarkable debut British GT season for Lavery. For Aston Martin works driver Turner, it was a third GT4 Pro-Am title, following previous class successes in 2021 and 2022 with the earlier generation of Vantage.
The achievement marked the third British GT title for the current Vantage GT4, following Forsetti Motorsport’s GT4 Silver Class and Teams’ championships in 2024.
Lavery and Turner, along with MK Racing’s Will Orton (GBR) and Jessica Hawkins (GBR), remain contenders for the overall GT4 title when the series hosts its season finale at Brands Hatch on 26-27 September.
