24 Hours of Le Mans

Verstappen confirms Aston Martin Racing deal

Jos Verstappen has signed an agreement with Aston Martin Racing to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours next month. The 37-year old Dutchman confirmed the news on his website yesterday evening. It will be the first time Verstappen will race an LMP1 at Le Mans.

After being spotted at the Aston Martin Racing hospitality at the last Le Mans Series weekend at Spa-Francorchamps a week and a half ago rumours about when Verstappen would sign for the factory Aston Martin Racing team flew over the web, until last night when the news was announced on www.verstappen.nl.

“After my first introduction with the Aston Martin Racing team and seeing the Aston Martin LMP1 I immediately had a good feeling about it,” says Verstappen. “The leadership of David Richards of Prodrive, a man with tons of experience in motorsport, gives me confidence. I’ve always said I want to race but that it should be with a professional team. Aston Martin Racing certainly is. It is a team I like to be part of.”

Although the deal has now been confirmed there was no news about the drivers Verstappen will share his Lola Aston Martin with or any future plans. Verstappen was however happy that a deal had been signed and that negotiations went smoothly.

“The negotiations indeed went smoothly. Both parties were keen to work together, so an agreement was made quite fast. For now I will only do the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Aston Martin Racing. We have not yet spoken about the future after Le Mans. I hope that we’ll have a quick combination of drivers. But I am confident that I will be in the fastest Aston Martin at Le Mans.”

As expected Jos Verstappen will also be part of the Aston Martin Racing team that will be testing next Monday and Tuesday at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. It will be the first time Verstappen will be in the car and the last opportunity for the team to test new developments on the car before heading to the Circuit de la Sarthe.