Top Aston Martin Racing partner squad Academy Motorsport will start the final round of its GT4 campaign in the British GT Championship at Donington Park this weekend from the front row of the grid.
The team has been joined by top GT3 Aston Martin racer Daniel Lloyd who makes his GT4 debut.
Lloyd, who scored podium finishes in the championship’s GT3 class earlier this season, is also a member of the new-for-2015 Aston Martin Racing Evolution Academy alongside regular Academy racer Dennis Strandberg.
With Strandberg once again partnering team-mate Will Moore in the new Scope-liveried #61 GT4 Vantage, Lloyd teams up with the #62 car’s regular racer Chris Webster.
Moore set the quickest qualifying time for the Am class drivers throughout his session, before being pipped on the final lap by the multiple race winning Lotus Evora. Strandberg’s Pro qualifying session was equally tight, but the Swede was unable to prevent the Lotus from gaining pole.
The #61 car will therefore start on the front row of the grid, easily qualifying as the fastest Aston Martin GT4 car on the grid.
Webster qualified the car in 11th place in the Am class, while Lloyd’s first ever dry laps in a GT4 Aston were outstanding to place him seventh and the car a combined 11th place start.
“After a wet free practice session in which we were the quickest GT4 car, this was the #61 car’s best qualifying position of the season,” said team boss Matt Nicoll-Jones.
“The car certainly has more time to find. It is the fastest Aston by some margin, and I want to make a habit of that. We’ll see what the weather does tomorrow, both cars will get quicker.”
Having worked with Lloyd for half of the final weekend of the season, Nicoll-Jones has been impressed with the youngster’s professionalism.
“It’s really nice to have Dan around the team,” Nicoll-Jones said. “He’s so professional and he’s really working well alongside Chris, and they compliment each other well. I’m really looking forward to a strong race performance from both cars to end this season on a high note.”
Lloyd is equally enjoying his first experience of a GT4 Aston Martin. Despite switching from a GT3 Aston to the GT4 machine. He is determined to prove his worth against fellow Evolution Academy members within the class, with a factory-backed Aston Martin seat up for grabs for one driver in 2016.
“My view is that a car is a car and I have to drive it to its limits,” Lloyd said. “The GT4 is softer, less powerful than the GT3 but it’s all about being on the limit. I’ve enjoyed driving the car so far.
“The Vantage GT4 moves about a bit which means my aggressive driving style should suit it. The competition for the Evolution Academy seat is tough so it’s a good opportunity for me to go up against the other drivers.”