Aston Martin claims 50th victory in Shanghai

The #98 V8 Vantage GTE of Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda on the way to victory in Shanghai

Aston Martin Racing has claimed its 50th victory since its inception in 2004.

The Banbury-based team won the eighth round of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship; the 6 Hours of Shanghai.

After taking the GTE Am pole position on Sunday, the #98 V8 Vantage GTE of Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda converted their advantage to victory, claiming a maximum 26-point haul from the weekend. In what was a trouble-free run throughout the entire six hours, the trio collectively amassed a gap of over one lap by the chequered flag.

The result ensures that the #98 entry reclaims the lead in both the GT AM Drivers and Team championships with a lead of ten in both.

Team boss Paul Howarth said: “The result really demonstrates the quality of this team not only in recent years but since 2004. To claim 50 victories is a fantastic achievement and comes at an exceptionally important time as we pursue the 2017 GTE AM championship.

“That was a fantastic performance. We now need to keep our heads down, provide a similar result in Bahrain and secure both GTE Am titles and make sure we provide the current V8 Vantage GTE with a final win in the GTE Pro class.”