Aston Martin Vantage and The Heart of Racing Claim Podium at 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGT3 Class

Aston Martin Vantage Claims 11th Class Podium at 24 Hours of Le Mans

The Heart of Racing Team Achieves First-Ever Podium at Le Mans Circuit

Gray Newewell Claims Podium on Debut; Dodo Barichello Reaches Podium on Second Attempt

No. 27 THOR Vantage Drivers Ian James, Zach Robichon, and Mattia Drudi Start from Pole but Face Heartbreak Late in Race

Johnny Adam, Two-Time Class Winner, Stands on Le Mans Podium for Third Time

Prodrive, Aston Martin’s Engineering Partner, Celebrates 25th Anniversary at Le Mans with 19th Podium Finish

Le Mans, France – June 14, 2026:

On Sunday, The Heart of Racing team secured a third-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the 11th class podium for the Aston Martin Vantage—the most successful racing car in the British marque’s endurance racing history—at the world’s most prestigious endurance race.

Rookie Gray Newewell (USA), teaming up with FIA World Endurance Championship teammate Dodo Barichello (Brazil) and two-time Le Mans GT class winner Johnny Adam (UK), edged out fierce competition to claim the final podium spot in a dramatic finish, just 2.5 seconds ahead of the battling Lexus.

This achievement marks the first top-three class finish at Le Mans for the latest generation of the Vantage GT3. The Vantage GT3 shares the same mechanical architecture as the road-going Vantage, Aston Martin’s ultimate expression of ultra-luxury high-performance sports cars. Built around the brand’s proven bonded aluminum chassis and powered by a potent 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, the GT3 machine represents the pinnacle of Aston Martin’s motorsport engineering.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport, said: "The Vantage delivered an outstanding performance. It’s been a successful weekend for Aston Martin at Le Mans, and a fantastic result for our partner, The Heart of Racing team. This generation of the Vantage has been in contention for victory at Le Mans since its debut in 2024. We’re delighted to achieve a podium with such a competitive and well-organized partner. We firmly believe this car has the capability to win, and that was evident throughout the race. We’ll be back next year to challenge again. Congratulations to Gray for his impressive debut, to Dodo for his consistent performance, and of course to Johnny, who once again delivered a result worthy of his legacy with Aston Martin."

For the U.S.-based Heart of Racing team, this podium marks their first at Le Mans. They entered two Vantage GT3s for the first time this year. The No. 27 THOR Vantage, driven by team principal Ian James (UK), Zach Robichon (Canada), and Mattia Drudi (Italy), claimed pole position for the second consecutive year after Drudi set the fastest qualifying lap at 3:52.433. Unfortunately, after leading the class and setting the pace for several hours, the car suffered a technical issue in the 21st hour.

Due to this misfortune, the No. 23 Vantage, which had been running in the top five or near it throughout the race, moved into podium contention. With only hours remaining in the 94th edition, the race格局 settled into Corvette leading, Lexus chasing, and a tight battle for third place. A sister Lexus car applied intense pressure on Barichello in the final laps, but the young Brazilian driver remained calm and secured his first Le Mans podium.

Barichello commented: "In the final laps, I gave everything I had and pushed the car to its limits. In moments like this, you have to trust the people around you. The engineers sent me information and clear targets to achieve. I stayed calm and focused on my role, and thankfully, it was enough to secure the podium."

Johnny Adam, who previously won the class in 2017 and 2020, now stands on the Le Mans podium in half of his appearances. "The relationship between Aston Martin and Le Mans has always been special. That’s why standing on the podium here, at a place so deeply connected to Aston Martin’s history, holds immense significance. The race had its share of luck and misfortune with safety cars and strategy, but overall, I think it went very well. Gray’s debut at Le Mans ended in a podium—that’s a huge confidence boost for him and a great reward for all his hard work. I’m truly happy for him. While both cars could have had a better outcome today, we should first celebrate this achievement."

Newewell, naturally, called the result unforgettable. "More than anything, I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this team. Everyone is amazing. The Heart of Racing has a fantastic culture—I felt it the moment I joined. Coming to Le Mans for the first time, experiencing this event, and ending up on the podium is truly special. One of the biggest takeaways this week is that I’ve been inspired. Coming here, competing at this level, and staying composed—it’s given me a lot of confidence. It shows my skills are working well and that I’m heading in the right direction."

Ian James added: "It was a fantastic 24-hour race. They did everything they needed to do all week. I’m disappointed about the No. 27 car—we were in the fight for victory until we lost the gearbox. Of course, it’s painful and a bit bittersweet, but I’m incredibly proud of the team’s first Le Mans podium. This place is truly special, and we’re honored to race here. Next, we look forward to Brazil and aiming for victory."

Alongside the two THOR entries, Racing Spirit of Léman (RSL) fielded the No. 59 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with debutants Clément Mateu (France) and Marius Phersson (France), alongside Aston Martin factory driver Valentin Has-Cloux (France), who finished in 11th place—a strong result for their first outing.

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