Aston Martin Vantage GT3 wins Petit Le Mans, Car Blanc claims first victory

Aston Martin announced Wednesday that its Vantage GT3 race car, entered by YRB Racing under the Car Blanc banner, claimed the GTD Pro class victory at the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale, the Motul Petit Le Mans, held Saturday at Road Atlanta in Georgia.

New Jersey-based YRB Racing secured its first IMSA win in just six starts, and reached the top step of the GTD Pro class — where the series' top professional drivers compete — in only its third attempt in that category.

The winning driver lineup of Aston Martin factory drivers Mattia Drudi of Italy, Marco Sørensen of Denmark and Valentin Hasse-Clot of France delivered the marque its third all-time class victory at the event.

Car Blanc maintained a fast and consistent pace throughout the 10-hour race, laying the groundwork for a dramatic late charge. Combining sharp strategy with the Vantage GT3's strong performance, the No. 68 Vantage ran inside the top six for most of the race before Drudi made his move after nightfall, pushing the car to the front.

The victory was Aston Martin's first IMSA win of 2026 and the Vantage GT3's sixth all-time triumph in the GTD Pro class, bringing the marque's total IMSA GT class wins to 15. It also marked Aston Martin's third all-time class victory at Petit Le Mans, following a GT1 class win in 2006 by Tomas Enge of the Czech Republic and Darren Turner of Britain in the V12-powered DBR9, and a GTD class win in 2021 by The Heart of Racing (THOR) drivers Roman De Angelis of Canada, Ross Gunn of Britain and Ian James of Britain.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin's head of endurance motorsport, said Car Blanc had made a strong impression since its debut at Watkins Glen in June, and that the first win showed how quickly the team had grown into a competitive force at the top level of GT racing in North America. "It also demonstrates the outstanding versatility of the Vantage in providing a competitive package for GT racing teams at all levels," he added.

Meanwhile, Aston Martin has been actively expanding its global customer touchpoints, including the recent opening of a new flagship showroom in Mayfair, London's upscale commercial district.

The flagship showroom goes beyond a conventional vehicle display and sales space, operating as a bespoke customization hub where customers can configure their own car by selecting from a range of colors, leathers and stitching options.