The Aston Martin DBR9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005 and racing in international sports car racing until the end of the GT1 category in 2011. The name comes from the DBR1, which won Le Mans in 1959, and the car is most famous for its two LMGT1 class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 2007 and 2008.
Aston Martin DBR9 at a glance
| Raced | 2005–2011 |
|---|---|
| Base | the Aston Martin DB9 road car: chassis, engine block and cylinder heads of its V12 |
| Engine | V12 with 625 bhp (466 kW) and 746 N·m with two 31.2 mm air restrictors; over 750 bhp unrestricted |
| Performance | 0–60 mph in 3.4 s; 0–100 mph in 6.4 s |
| Body | carbon-fibre composite panels, except the roof; flat underbody and rear diffuser |
| Le Mans | LMGT1 class wins in 2007 and 2008 |
| Sebring 12 Hours | LMGT1 win in 2005 |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only (a trusted source), so the facts were not cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Aston Martin DBR9
Based on the DB9 road car, the DBR9 retains the chassis, engine block and cylinder heads of the road car’s V12, while the rest is re-engineered for competition. The bodywork blends aerodynamic performance with the styling of the DB9 and all panels are carbon-fibre composite except the roof; the underside is flat from front to rear diffuser and a carbon-fibre wing gives rear downforce.
For the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans, Prodrive modified the DBR9 to improve performance and driver comfort. New regulations required an air conditioning unit to avoid overstressing drivers, and Prodrive also fitted a heat-resistant white roof to all new cars to help keep cockpit temperatures down; two now immaterial cooling vents were removed from the mirrors to improve aerodynamics.
Racing
The DBR9 won the Sebring 12 Hours in its LMGT1 category in 2005 but finished third at Le Mans behind rival Corvette Racing because of fuel problems. In 2006 it could not repeat the Sebring win, finishing second behind a Corvette, and a similar story followed at Le Mans. Aston Martin Racing still regularly challenged Corvette Racing in the American Le Mans Series, with victories at Lime Rock Park, Miller Motorsports Park, Mosport, Petit Le Mans and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and finished second in the GT1 Manufacturers’ Championship, earning the factory team an automatic entry for Le Mans 2007. In the Le Mans Endurance Series, Larbre Compétition took the Team’s Championship.
Design and features
- Engine: the DB9’s V12, with 625 bhp through two restrictors.
- Body: carbon-fibre panels with a flat underbody.
- Comfort: an air conditioning unit and white heat-resistant roof added for Le Mans 2007.
Aston Martin DBR9 versions
- DBR9 (2005–2011): the GT1 racing car, run by Aston Martin Racing and customer teams such as Larbre Compétition.
More Aston Martin cars are in our Aston Martin collection, for example the DB9 it was based on, the DBR1 that gave it its name and the AMR1.
Aston Martin DBR9 questions and answers
What is the Aston Martin DBR9?
A GT1 racing car built by Aston Martin Racing and based on the DB9.
What did it win at Le Mans?
The LMGT1 class in 2007 and 2008.
How powerful is it?
625 bhp with air restrictors, over 750 bhp unrestricted.
Why is it called DBR9?
The name comes from the DBR1, which won Le Mans in 1959.
When did it race?
From 2005 to 2011, until the end of the GT1 category.
Sources
- Aston Martin DBR9, English Wikipedia: development and racing history
