Aston Martin Racing has revealed a very-special edition of the V8 Vantage GTE, which was victorious in the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans, in July 16’s Red Bull Soapbox Race at Alexandra Palace in London.
The ’24 Seconds of Le Ally Pally’ will see a crack team of Aston Martin personnel take on all-comers in a miniature version of the Le Mans-winning V8 Vantage GTE.
David King, president of Aston Martin Racing, said: “When taking on a challenge as big as this, it is important to rally your troops and throw everything you’ve got at it. Aston Martin has enjoyed great on-track success with the V8 Vantage GTE, so it was the obvious choice for the design of our soapbox entry. I don’t think we’ll be putting our race drivers in it though, as we need them to be in one piece for their next World Endurance Championship race the following week!”
Aston Martin has a successful Innovation Partnership with Red Bull Racing, but there will be no favouritism on Sunday. It is a level playing field, so to speak, and the Aston Martin crew is ready for the fight, having made meticulous preparations.
Over 104 years ago, early Aston Martin cars were designed for hill-climb racing, so all that knowledge can now be turned on its head. It’s not great news for those who love the sound of a V8 or V12 engine, as the power source for this event is much quieter – gravity!
With design and engineering by Aston Martin and the build taking place at Aston Martin Works in Newport Pagnell, this challenger is already a favourite for the event.
Entrants are judged on speed, obviously, and creativity of design. They are also judged on showmanship and this is where Le Mans winners Darren Turner and Jonny Adam can help. Well-known for their ability to put on a great show, the two racers will be on hand to support Alex Summers, Aston Martin’s Prototype Operations senior engineer who has (been) volunteered to race the mini-Vantage. 
Check out Aston Martin’s full-size Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions.
