Aston Martin is bringing innovation to the front of the Formula 1® grid in 2024 with its most driver-focused Vantage ever. Perfectly tuned and uniquely equipped to lead the pinnacle of motorsport around the Grand Prix™ circuits of the world, the new Vantage is ready to take up its leading role as an Official FIA Safety Car of Formula 1®.
A specially equipped version of the high-performance Vantage will lead all 20 F1® cars on the formation lap for this weekend’s FORMULA 1® STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2024, before taking its place at the exit of the pit lane, ready to roar into action should it be required to intervene and control the pace of the F1® race.
Revealed just three weeks ago alongside its ‘Brothers in Speed’ - the Vantage GT3 racer and AMR24 F1® challenger - the new Vantage is an authentic, unadulterated celebration of pure performance, engineered to deliver maximum thrills with maximum confidence and perfectly reflects the most dynamic period in Aston Martin’s 111-year history.
Marco Mattiacci, Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of Aston Martin, said: “Vantage is the very essence of the Aston Martin brand, so to see the fastest, most driver-focused Vantage yet play such an important role in the prestigious FIA Formula One World Championship™ is a source of great pride for us. For brand awareness, there is no global, high-octane sporting series that can match F1®. Building on the natural synergies between the sport and Aston Martin, racing fans will not only see the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team AMR24’s on track but also two of our most exciting performance models, Vantage and the award-winning DBX707.”
Powered by a potent, hand-built 4.0 Twin-Turbo V8 engine, the new Vantage is the fastest of its breed, delivering a 30% increase on power over the previous model, ensuring the Vantage Safety Car is quick off the line, every time. Such is the performance of the new road-going Vantage, it required no engine upgrade, no changes to its cooling system and no upgrade in braking performance to adapt it for its role as FIA Safety Car. It was born for this role.
Bernd Mayländer, FIA Safety Car Driver, commented: “It is a pleasure to drive the Aston Martin Vantage. The car comes from an incredible bloodline and this newest version is the fastest yet. My first impressions were very positive as I could immediately feel the improvement in handling and, of course, power. We need a car that is fast and focused so we can respond quickly and safely when we receive the call for on-track deployment and Vantage provides that. I have enjoyed driving Vantage during the past three seasons and I’m happy to now be one of the first to drive the new Vantage and experience its full performance pedigree on the world’s greatest circuits.”
The new Vantage, the most sporting model in Aston Martin’s portfolio, has gone through a rigorous process to become an Official FIA Safety Car of Formula 1®. To provide maximum attack on the race track, this unique car has additional, modified underfloor aerodynamics, along with an extended and profiled front splitter. For extra downforce a new rear wing has been specifically fitted in a bespoke position with a tuned Gurney. The FIA lightbar has also received new aero-profiling as every millisecond of performance is vital whilst leading the pack of F1® cars with rapidly cooling tyres.
Inside the Vantage Safety Car sits a plethora of systems to assist the driver and passenger in their roles. The production seats have been replaced by Pole Position Seats to keep FIA Safety Car driver, Bernd Mayländer and his passenger firmly in place as they circulate at speed. A bespoke centre console is fitted with switchgear to work the FIA systems, along with screens showing live lap times, the track positioning of all of the cars and a rear-view camera. Although functional, the Safety Car is still an Aston Martin so the interior has been finished in a unique Lime Essence trim in a nod to the marque’s own racing colours.
Roberto Fedeli, Group Chief Technology Officer of Aston Martin, added: “Every thought, every idea, every piece of technology and every stroke of the designer’s pen that went into Vantage can now be enjoyed by the fans of F1®. This new car is already the fastest and most driver-focused Vantage yet, which makes it perfect for this unique job so to turn it into an Official FIA Safety Car of Formula 1® was primarily a task of adding all of the FIA equipment. Of course, it has additional aero not found on the road car to make sure it can attack the race track and showcase the capabilities of our newest ultra-luxury high-performance car.”
The Vantage Safety Car and DBX707 Medical Car will make their 2024 debut at this weekend’s FORMULA 1® STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX. As in previous years, the cars will be painted in the same Aston Martin Racing Green colours as the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team cars.
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The National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) is the premier sanctioning body for drag racing, overseeing hundreds of events annually across the United States. With its high-speed excitement, precision-tuned machines, and dedicated drivers, NHRA drag racing has grown into a major motorsport, captivating fans of speed and power. The competition is divided into various categories, each with distinct rules, vehicle types, and levels of performance. These categories range from grassroots classes that allow amateur racers to compete, all the way up to the elite professional ranks. Here’s a closer look at the different categories of NHRA drag racing.
The Mercedes-AMG ONE (energy consumption combined weighted: 17.7 kWh/100 km plus 9.9 l/100 km | fuel consumption combined discharged battery: 14.6 l/100 km | CO₂ emissions combined weighted: 224 g/km | CO₂ class combined weighted: G | CO₂ class discharged battery: G) has been the fastest production car on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife since October 2022 and has been unrivalled ever since. The only rival is the ONE itself. Now Mercedes AMG brand ambassador and DTM driver Maro Engel has once again significantly improved the lap time he set. With an officially measured and notarised time of 6:29.090 minutes for the 20.832-kilometre track, the hypercar with Formula 1™ technology beat its own record for production vehicles by over five seconds. This makes the Mercedes AMG ONE the first road car to beat the magic mark of 6:30 minutes. It is also the only series hybrid hypercar to date to have taken on the world's most demanding racetrack and is the undisputed leader in the super-sports-car class.
“We’ve held the record for road vehicles for almost two years now. But at AMG, we always want to push the boundaries of what is possible to the maximum or even push them a little further. That’s why we have once again demonstrated what is possible with the unique AMG ONE. The entire team has been rewarded for its efforts and commitment. I’m proud of this determined team effort and of this fantastic record time. Once again, we’ve impressively demonstrated the spirit and expertise of AMG.”
Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes AMG GmbH and
Head of the Mercedes Benz G Class & Mercedes Maybach divisions
“Two years ago, the conditions were not ideal, and some sections of the track were still a little damp. We knew we could do more, and we wanted to show that. Today we were able to demonstrate the maximum potential of the AMG ONE. Many thanks to the whole team from Affalterbach for the trust they’ve placed in me. It was a great pleasure and honour to be able to drive this record lap with such a unique car.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes AMG brand ambassador
In order to achieve the lofty goals they had set for themselves, meticulous preparation was necessary. In addition, the track conditions had to be ideal in order to beat the 6:30 minute target. On September 23, 2024, at 6:56 p.m., on his third timed lap, Maro Engel achieved the new record. With temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius (air) and 20 degrees Celsius (asphalt), the legendary Nordschleife was dry throughout and offered perfect grip.
Like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on their Formula 1™ race weekends, Maro Engel also had to make the best possible use of the hybrid drive's electrical energy. This is particularly challenging, especially with a track length of more than 20 kilometres. Therefore, it is immensely important to use the right sections of the track to recuperate during braking phases and thus store energy in the batteries again.
To do this, Maro Engel utilised the AMG ONE's four-stage Energy Flow Control (EFC) system and in some cases deliberately took his foot off the accelerator a little earlier than he normally would. In technical jargon, this is known as “lift and coast”. Preliminary tests in the driving simulator in Affalterbach and on the Nordschleife itself provided the necessary insights, which the team and driver were able to optimally implement for the record lap. In accordance with the specifications of Nürburgring 1927 GmbH & Co KG, the vehicle was tested and documented by TÜV Rheinland to ensure that it was in standard condition. A notary confirmed that the record drive had been carried out correctly.
Amidst a competitive and enthusiastic atmosphere, the first round of the 2024 Saudi Toyota Karting Championship concluded at the Dirab Karting Circuit in Riyadh. The one-day event saw the participation of 8 drivers and was organized and overseen by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation. It was sponsored by the official partner Jameel Motorsports and the strategic partner the Saudi Investment Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports.
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