Aston Martin brings innovation to the forefront of Formula 1® Launching in 2024 with its most driver-focused Vantage ever. Perfectly tuned and uniquely equipped to lead the pinnacle of Grand Prix motorsport™ On race tracks around the world, the new Vantage is ready to take on its leading role as the official FIA Safety Car of Formula 1®.
A specially equipped version of the high-performance Vantage will lead all 20 F1 races® Cars on the formation lap for this weekend’s FORMULA 1® STC SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2024 before taking his place at the exit of the pit lane, ready to spring into action should the need arise to intervene and control the pace of F1® race. Revealed just three weeks ago alongside its “Brothers in Speed” – the Vantage GT3 racer and the AMR24 F1® Challenger – the new Vantage is an authentic, unadulterated celebration of pure performance, designed for maximum thrill with maximum confidence and perfectly reflects the most dynamic period in Aston Martin’s 111-year history.
Marco Mattiacci, Aston Martin’s Global Chief Brand and Commercial Officer, said: “The Vantage is the essence of the Aston Martin brand. It is therefore with great pride that we see the fastest and most driver-focused Vantage still playing such an important role in the prestigious FIA Formula 1 World Championship™. When it comes to brand awareness, there is no global sports series with high momentum that can compete with Formula 1®. Building on the natural synergies between the sport and Aston Martin, racing fans will see more than just the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1® Team AMR24 is on the right track, but so are two of our most exciting performance models, Vantage and the award-winning DBX707.”
Powered by a powerful, hand-built 4.0 twin-turbo V8 engine, the new Vantage is the fastest of its kind and offers a 30% increase in power over the previous model, ensuring the Vantage Safety Car comes off the line quickly every time. Such is the performance of the new road-going Vantage that it required no engine upgrade, no changes to the cooling system and no improvement in braking performance to adapt it to its role as an 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 latest version is the fastest yet. My first impression was very positive as I could immediately feel the improvement in handling and of course performance. We need a car that is fast and focused so that we can respond quickly and confidently when we get the call to hit the track, and Vantage offers that. I’ve had a lot of fun driving the Vantage over the last three seasons “I’m excited to be one of the first to drive the new Vantage and experience its full performance on the world’s greatest racetracks.”
The new Vantage, the sportiest model in Aston Martin’s portfolio, has undergone a rigorous process to become Formula 1’s official FIA Safety Car®. To enable maximum attack on the racetrack, this unique car features additional, modified underbody aerodynamics as well as an extended and profiled front splitter. For additional downforce, a new rear wing was specially fitted in a bespoke position with a tuned gurney. The FIA light bar has also been given a new aero profile, as every millisecond of performance is crucial when you’re at the top of Formula 1® Cars with tires that cool down quickly.
Inside the Vantage Safety Car there are numerous systems that support the driver and front passenger in their tasks. The standard seats were replaced with pole position seats to keep FIA Safety Car driver Bernd Mayländer and his co-driver in their place at high speeds. A bespoke center console is fitted with switchgear to operate the FIA systems, as well as screens showing live lap times, track positioning of all cars and a reversing camera. Although the safety car is functional, it is still an Aston Martin. Therefore, the interior was given a unique Lime Essence finish in a nod to the brand’s racing colors.
Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin’s Group Chief Technology Officer, added: “Every thought, every idea, every piece of technology and every stroke of the designer’s pen that went into the Vantage can now be enjoyed by Formula 1 fans.”®. This new car is already the fastest and most driver-focused Vantage yet, making it perfect for this unique job and making it an official FIA Formula 1 safety car® was primarily a task of adding all the FIA equipment. Of course, it features additional aerodynamics not found on a road car to ensure it can attack the track and showcase the capabilities of our latest ultra-luxury high-performance car.”
The Vantage Safety Car and DBX707 Medical Car will make their 2024 FORMULA 1 debut this weekend® STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. As in previous years, the cars will be painted in the same Aston Martin Racing Green colors as the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team cars.
