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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Dalla Lana Set For WEC Campaign With Aston Martin
SPEED.com Exclusive: Fifth Aston Martin Racing entry set for FIA World Endurance Championship...
Paul Dalla Lana will take on the FIA World Endurance Championship this year in a fifth Aston Martin Racing entry. (Photo: Turner Motorsport)
What started off as a goal to tackle the Twelve Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans has turned into a globe-trotting 2013 season for Paul Dalla Lana, who is set to take on the FIA World Endurance Championship as part of an expanded factory effort for Aston Martin Racing.
SPEED.com has learned that Dalla Lana, a regular in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, has firmed up plans to race for the British marque in the WEC, as an expected fifth entry beginning at the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic.
Originally the first reserve in GTE, the No. 98 Aston Martin Vantage V8 received its entry confirmation for Le Mans last week following the withdrawal of the ESM Ferrari. That helped pave the way towards a full commitment for the accomplished gentleman racer, who will kick off his campaign with AMR later this month at Sebring.
"It came about relatively quickly,” Dalla Lana told SPEED.com in an exclusive interview. “I've been intrigued by the events, and Le Mans is on most people's radar, so for me it was always one of those iconic races that I wanted to do. Sebring is the same.
“I kind of started thinking those were going to be the two I was going to do this year. Then it evolved and Aston Martin was willing to put their factory shoulder behind it, which is really great. It's a big step but I'm looking forward to it."
While a driver lineup hasn’t been confirmed for the WEC program, which will run as a GTE-Pro class entry, Dalla Lana is slated to share the wheel of a 2012-spec Vantage at Sebring with fellow GRAND-AM racer Billy Johnson and former Peugeot factory driver Pedro Lamy.
The trio will be joined by rising sports car star Dane Cameron and Lotus F1 development driver Richie Stanaway at an AMR test at Road Atlanta this week, in preparation for the American Le Mans Series season opener. It will mark both drivers’ debuts in the GTE-spec contender, in what potentially could lead to rides in the WEC program.
Dalla Lana said his entry will miss the opening two rounds at Silverstone and Spa, as a new 2013-spec Vantage is in the process of being built. The WEC effort is not expected to affect his GRAND-AM program with Turner Motorsport, as there are no conflicting weekends between championships.
The former GRAND-AM GS class champion is fresh off a sweep in last weekend’s races at COTA, teaming with Bill Auberlen to take the Rolex Series GT and CTSCC GS class victories on the same day.
“I’m still very committed to Turner and BMW but I think we’re in a tough year, to be frank,” he said. “Clearly the types of cars are evolving and we have a bit of an uphill fight. This is a year where we're already thinking about what's going to happen in 2014 when the series come together.
“So for me, obviously driving a proper GT car and getting that experience helps us think what we want to do in 2014. We're working with BMW and the Turner folks to figure out how to evolve our program for next year."
But for now, Dalla Lana’s focus will be with Aston Martin, as he embarks on a new chapter in his racing career in the WEC.
"Obviously it's a fantastic championship with super, incredible race tracks all around the world,” Dalla Lana said. “For me, it's about finding enough time, and obviously committing to the sport fully now. It's a big change. I'm looking forward to it, but also I'm a little bit anxious as well."
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
SPEED.com has learned that Dalla Lana, a regular in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, has firmed up plans to race for the British marque in the WEC, as an expected fifth entry beginning at the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic.
Originally the first reserve in GTE, the No. 98 Aston Martin Vantage V8 received its entry confirmation for Le Mans last week following the withdrawal of the ESM Ferrari. That helped pave the way towards a full commitment for the accomplished gentleman racer, who will kick off his campaign with AMR later this month at Sebring.
"It came about relatively quickly,” Dalla Lana told SPEED.com in an exclusive interview. “I've been intrigued by the events, and Le Mans is on most people's radar, so for me it was always one of those iconic races that I wanted to do. Sebring is the same.
“I kind of started thinking those were going to be the two I was going to do this year. Then it evolved and Aston Martin was willing to put their factory shoulder behind it, which is really great. It's a big step but I'm looking forward to it."
While a driver lineup hasn’t been confirmed for the WEC program, which will run as a GTE-Pro class entry, Dalla Lana is slated to share the wheel of a 2012-spec Vantage at Sebring with fellow GRAND-AM racer Billy Johnson and former Peugeot factory driver Pedro Lamy.
The trio will be joined by rising sports car star Dane Cameron and Lotus F1 development driver Richie Stanaway at an AMR test at Road Atlanta this week, in preparation for the American Le Mans Series season opener. It will mark both drivers’ debuts in the GTE-spec contender, in what potentially could lead to rides in the WEC program.
Dalla Lana said his entry will miss the opening two rounds at Silverstone and Spa, as a new 2013-spec Vantage is in the process of being built. The WEC effort is not expected to affect his GRAND-AM program with Turner Motorsport, as there are no conflicting weekends between championships.
The former GRAND-AM GS class champion is fresh off a sweep in last weekend’s races at COTA, teaming with Bill Auberlen to take the Rolex Series GT and CTSCC GS class victories on the same day.
“I’m still very committed to Turner and BMW but I think we’re in a tough year, to be frank,” he said. “Clearly the types of cars are evolving and we have a bit of an uphill fight. This is a year where we're already thinking about what's going to happen in 2014 when the series come together.
“So for me, obviously driving a proper GT car and getting that experience helps us think what we want to do in 2014. We're working with BMW and the Turner folks to figure out how to evolve our program for next year."
But for now, Dalla Lana’s focus will be with Aston Martin, as he embarks on a new chapter in his racing career in the WEC.
"Obviously it's a fantastic championship with super, incredible race tracks all around the world,” Dalla Lana said. “For me, it's about finding enough time, and obviously committing to the sport fully now. It's a big change. I'm looking forward to it, but also I'm a little bit anxious as well."
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Monterey
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