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Factory Aston driver Sorensen to make SUPER GT debut with D'station

Factory Aston Martin driver Marco Sorensen will compete in SUPER GT for the first time in 2024 with D’station.

#777 D'Station Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR: Satoshi Hoshino, Casper Stevenson, Tomonobu Fujii

2022 Le Mans 24 Hours class winner Sorensen will share the latest-spec Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with D’station managing director/driver Tomonobu Fujii in the GT300 class of the Japanese series, beginning with the Okayama season opener in April.

The Danish driver will combine his newly-announced commitments with an LMGT3 campaign in the World Endurance Championship, where he has been listed as D’station’s designated Pro driver for 2024.

He was announced as part of D’station's WEC line-up at the start of last month, when he signed a fresh contract with Aston Martin with a view to competing in the Hypercar class in 2025 with the under-development Valkyrie LMH.

It’s likely that Sorensen will give preference to WEC when the series clashes with SUPER GT on two separate ocassions, however there has been no official word from him, D’station of Aston.

“For me, to compete in SUPER GT is a dream come true,” he said. “I love Japan. I have competed in races all over the world, but I cannot wait for this new challenge in Japan. The new GT3 has made a definitive step in performance. 

“I am looking forward to racing with Fujii San who is experienced in SUPER GT and the D’station Racing staff to get the results they deserve. I am sure we can do great things together. Race fans in Japan always give me a warm welcome as well so I am looking forward to the first race in Okayama.”

#33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AmR LMGTE Am of Marco Sorensen

Photo by: Marc Fleury

#33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AmR LMGTE Am of Marco Sorensen

Sorensen’s entry into SUPER GT coincides with D’station returns to SUPER GT after a three-year hiatus. The Japanese team last competed in the championship in 2020 with Pacific Racing before focusing its effort on WEC with the GTE version of the Vantage.

D’station signalled an official comeback to the category in October, with Fujii revealing that it has brought an entry of an existing team to pave the way for a return to SUPER GT. 

At that time, it was unclear if it would be able to secure a spot in WEC’s new LMGT3 division, as LMGT3 manufacturers had to decide their partner team(s) of choice, leaving the entry process out of D’station’s hands.

D’station hasn’t announced the two drivers who will partner Sorensen in WEC, but Fujii - who has spent the last three years with the team in GTE Am - will team up with the 33-year-old in SUPER GT.

Fujii has been absent from his country’s premier racing championship since his team’s withdrawal at the end of the 2020 season. Without D’station, Aston Martin was also left without any presence in SUPER GT.

However, the British manufacturer will now return to the championship with the Evo version of the Vantage GT3, and will provide factory support to the team. 

Dunlop will serve as D’station’s official tyre supplier, a departure from the team’s previous stint in GT300 between 2017-20. The team spent the first three seasons racing on Yokohama tyres, before moving to Michelin for what turned out to be its final campaign in 2020.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s head of endurance motorsport, said: “We are delighted to see our partner team D’station Racing bring the Aston Martin wings back to the Japanese Super GT Championship. 

“D’station Racing has achieved more domestic success in Japan with Aston Martin than any other team, so we are proud to see them choose the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to make their return to the GT300 class of Japan’s most prestigious GT series. 

“The new Vantage GT car is a clear step forward in performance, and with a strong driver line-up such as the team will have in Tomonobu-san and Marco, we’re excited to see what can be achieved in such a significant racing series.”

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