Aston Martin trims WEC line-up for '18 races

Aston Martin Racing has confirmed a switch to a two-driver line-up in both of its GTE-Pro entries for the remaining rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2018.

Having raced with three drivers in both of its new-for-2018 Vantage V8 GTE car in the 6 Hours of Spa and 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin Racing confirmed on Thursday it would be cutting back to two drivers per car in order to give them more track time.

The #95 Aston Martin will be shared by Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen for the upcoming races at Silverstone, Fuji and Shanghai, with Darren Turner stepping back from his seat. The #97 entry will feature Alex Lynn and Maxime Martin, with Jonny Adam moving into Aston Martin customer team TF Sport's line-up in GTE-Am.

Silverstone will be the first race in the history of the WEC that has not featured Turner, but the Briton has signed a new long-term contract with Aston Martin that will see him return to the #95 car for the 2019 leg of the season with races at Sebring, Spa and Le Mans.

“As we move into the second phase of the Super Season, it is critical we maximise our opportunities through the three shortest races on the calendar. By switching to two-driver crews we achieve this," Aston Martin Racing team principal Paul Howarth said.

"Nicki and Marco have a long-standing partnership, while Maxime and Alex have settled into the team well. Jonny remains a vital part of our line-up and we are pleased he will race in the TF Sport entry, which keeps him race-sharp at world level.

"I am also delighted that Darren continues to play a major role. He proved he’s lost none of his speed with an exceptional performance at Le Mans, and his experience and wisdom is invaluable as we continue to develop our still young Vantage GTE programme."