Aston Martin DBRS9

[John Turner]

Announced in the middle of 2005, with deliveries starting later that year, the DBRS9 was intended to bridge the gap between the road going DB9 and the GT1 spec. DBR9, and to enable those who wanted to go into GT racing without incurring the substantial cost (or pace!) of the GT1 car. In the event, it costs almost double the price of the DB9, but a little under half the cost of the DBR9. The DBRS9 is built to current GT3 regulations.

More here:- http://www.astonmartinracing.com/ENG/dbrs9

In what appears a deliberate reversal to the DBR9 numbering sequence, the DBRS9 prototype/demonstrator retained by Aston Martin Racing is numbered DBRS9/101, with customer cars starting at DBRS9/1. Below is shown DBRS9/101, photographed at the Silverstone classic on the 30th July:-





The following first 3 customer cars, all prepared by Barwell Motorsport are (with their owners):-
DBRS9/1 - Tom Alexander
DBRS9/2 - Leo Machitski
DBRS9/3 - Lord Paul Drayson

All three, I understand, prepared for the FIA GT3 championship, have also appeared at selected rounds of the British GT championship. Tom Alexander's DBRS9/1 was the car in which Tiff Needell had his big accident at the 'bus stop' at Spa in Round 5 of the FIA GT3 championship.

BMS Scuderia Italia have three cars and it is pure speculation on my part that these may be DBRS9/4-6. Anyone know?

DBRS9/7 plus one other (#8?) was delivered to Autosport Designs Racing in the USA, where it was intended they would compete in the Speed GT Championship. Their first race was at Sebring, but since the cars were only delivered 8 days before the event, and they had to be modified to SCCA spec, there was no opportunity to do shakedown tests or fettling. Johnny Mowlem in the 'other' car failed to finish but Tom Papadopoulos finished 15th in DBRS9/7. (source for this paragraph - AMOC Quarterly)

More info and pics to follow, regarding the Barwell cars, but if anyone can fill some of the other gaps, that would be good!

[John Turner]

2006 Race results for DBRS9/1-3, as far as I can ascertain



DBRS9/1 (carried race no. 22 for the FIA GT3 series and no. 66 for British GT series)

6&7 May - FIA GT3 (Rnd 1) - Silverstone – Race 1 - Alexander/Needell – DNF
Race 2 - Bentwood/Rich – DNS

20/21 May - Brit. GT - Donington (Rnd 2) – Alexander/Bentwood – DNF

1/2 July - FIA GT3 - Oschersleben (Rnd 2) - Race 1 – Alexander/Needell – 15th OA
Race 2 – Johnson/Rich – DNF

28/29 July – FIA GT3 – Spa (Rnd 3) – Race 1 – Alexander/Needell – 9th OA (? despite Tiff crashing it heavily at the Bus Stop 8 laps from the end, bringing the race to an early conclusion)

2/3 Sept. – FIA GT3 – Dijon (Rnd 4) – Race 1 – Rich/Bentwood – 9th OA
Race 2 – Rich/Bentwood – DNS

16/17 Sept. – FIA GT3 – Mugello (Rnd 5) – Race 1 – Alexander/Bentwood – 20th OA
Race 2 – Bentwood/Alexander – 34th OA


DBRS9/2 (carried race no 44 for the FIA GT3 series and no. 33 for British GT)





6&7 May - FIA GT3 (Rnd 1) - Silverstone – Race 1 – Machitski/Cocker – 11th OA
Race 2 - Cocker/Machitski – 5th OA

20/21 May - Brit. GT - Donington (Rnd 2) – Machitski/Johnson – 8th OA, 1st GT3

1/2 July - FIA GT3 - Oschersleben (Rnd 2) - Race 1 – Machitski/Cocker – 11th OA
Race 2 - Cocker/Machitski – 10th OA

15/16 July - Brit. GT - Snetterton (Rnd 5) – Race 1 – Machitski/Bentwood – 5th OA, 2nd GT3
Race 2 – Machitski/Bentwood – 9th OA, 5th GT3

28/29 July – FIA GT3 – Spa – (Rnd 3) – Race 1- Machitski/Cocker – 20th OA
Race 2 – Cocker/Machitski – 6th OA

26/27 Aug. – Brit GT – Brands Hatch (Rnd 7) Race 1 – Machitski/Cocker – 3rd OA, 1st GT3
Race 2 – Machitski/Cocker – 4th OA, 1st GT3

2/3 Sept. – FIA GT3 – Dijon (Rnd 4) – Race 1 – Machitski/Cocker – 3rd OA
Race 2 – Cocker/Machitski – 5th OA

16/17 Sept. – FIA GT3 – Mugello (Rnd 5) – Race 2 – Cocker/Machitski – 20th OA
24 Sept. - Brit. GT – Silverstone (Rnd 8) – Machitski/Cocker – 7th OA, 2nd GT3



(This result sealed the British GT3 driver’s Championship for Leo Machitski – to win it, he and Jonathan Cocker had also driven a Porsche 997 GT3 to a 1st and 2nd in class at the Rockingham rounds, at which Barwell did not attend with the Aston)

DBRS9/3 (carried race no 66 for the FIA GT3 series and no. 88 for British GT, except at Snetterton, where through an administrative error it carried no. 66! – see picture, immediately below)



6&7 May - FIA GT3 (Rnd 1) - Silverstone – Race 1 – Rich/Johnson – 8th OA

20/21 May - Brit. GT - Donington (Rnd 2) - Drayson/Cocker – DNF

1/2 July - FIA GT3 - Oschersleben (Rnd 2) - Race 1 – Rich/Johnson – 27th OA
Race 2 – Johnson/Rich – DNF

15/16 July - Brit. GT - Snetterton (Rnd 5) – Race 1 – Drayson/Cocker – 9th OA, 4th GT3
Race 2 – Drayson/Cocker – 5th OA, 2nd GT3

28/29 July – FIA GT3 – Spa – (Rnd 3) – Race 1 – Rich/Johnson – 27th OA
Race 2 – Johnson/Rich – 10th OA

26/27 Aug. – Brit GT – Brands Hatch (Rnd 7) Race 1 – Drayson/Stretton – DNF
Race 2 – Drayson/Stretton – 18th OA, 4th GT3
(Update - see Alan Brown's post #4 - this was probably DBRS9/101)

16/17 Sept. – FIA GT3 – Mugello (Rnd 5) – Race 1 – Burgan/Rich – DNF
Race 2 – Rich/Burgan – 28th OA

24 Sept. - Brit. GT – Silverstone (Rnd 8) – Drayson/Stretton – 11th OA, 4th GT3

[redshoes]

Drayson / Stretton also had an outing in the Britcar series at Brands Hatch 17/18th June 2006. Running as car #66 they finished second in race one and third in race two.

[Alan Brown]

Martin Stretton had a big off in the car during testing on the Friday (August 25) before the Brands Hatch British GT races (August 26/27). Autosport said they borrowed a car from Prodrive for the meeting. Photographic evidence from a friend confirms that the race car was a different car to that damaged in testing. It is quite possibly the one demonstrated at the Silverstone Classic meeting.

[John Turner]

Alan, that is very likely, since at one stage, there was also a possibility that Leo Machitski would borrow DBRS9/101 for the Rockingham round of the British GT series because Barwell weren't going. It didn't happen, I understand because a team of support personnel couldn't be put together, so Machitski drove the Porsche instead (see #2 above). One of your friend's photos posted here would be good!

[John Turner]

Two more results for a DBRS9/3 for 2006; this time in Britcar

17/18 June - Donington - Drayson/Stretton - Two 2nd places with fastest lap to Martin Stretton in the second race. (see Redshoes post #3 above)

4 November - Brands Hatch - Drayson/Stretton - a 2nd and a 3rd, with, again, Stretton posting FL in race 2.

(NB - Above results corrected at #9 below - JT)

I think that pretty much completes the results for the Barwell entered cars for 2006. Does anyone have any info. regarding the other cars, in Europe and the USA for last season?

There is an excellent piece by Edd Straw covering Darren Turner's Track Test of DBRS9/1 in the current issue of Autosport (4 January 2007 - pages 36-41 for future historians reference).

Among the interesting facts to emerge are that the engine produces 550bhp, and does 0-60mph and 0-100mph in approximately 3.8 & 8.5 secs respectively.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by John Turner

17/18 June - Donington - Drayson/Stretton - Two 2nd places with fastest lap to Martin Stretton in the second race. (see Redshoes post #3 above)

Just to correct that slightly, June 17/18 was at Brands Hatch, not Donington.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by John Turner

DBRS9/7 plus one other (#8?) was delivered to Autosport Designs Racing in the USA, where it was intended they would compete in the Speed GT Championship. Their first race was at Sebring, but since the cars were only delivered 8 days before the event, and they had to be modified to SCCA spec, there was no opportunity to do shakedown tests or fettling. Johnny Mowlem in the 'other' car failed to finish but Tom Papadopoulos finished 15th in DBRS9/7. (source for this paragraph - AMOC Quarterly)

I learn from the latest issue of the AMOC Register that chassis nos 7 & 8 had been 'secured' by Autosport Designs Racing, which confirms that the other car was indeed DBRS9/8. Anyone have any results?

Now what about the BMS Scuderia Italia cars? Chassis numbers, race results, drivers?

[John Turner]

Yes, my apologies, I blame it on senility; I somehow got the circuits and results transposed. It should read:-

Two more results for a DBRS9/3 for 2006; this time in Britcar

17/18 June - Brands Hatch - Drayson/Stretton - a 2nd and a 3rd, with Stretton posting FL in race 2. (see Redshoes post #3 above)

4 November - Donington - Drayson/Stretton - Two 2nd places with fastest lap, again, to Martin Stretton in the second race.

[John Turner]

I've now found this great site for Autosport Designs Racing here:-

http://www.autosportdesigns.com/Racing/index.aspx

You will see short race reports giving results for the 2 cars, DBRS9/7 & 9/8 mentioned in my post#7

Car #43 was driven by Tom Papadopoulos, and car #44 by Johnny Mowlem.
I'm assuming that car 43 was 07 and car 44 was 08 throughout the season but I am checking.

DBRS9/7 is now for sale:-

http://www.autosportdesigns.com/Sale...s.aspx?ID=1317

I am also able to confirm that last thursday (15 March) at the F3/British GT media day at Silverstone, Barwell turned up with 3 cars, one of which, DBRS9/10 was new. More details and pictures to follow over the next day or two.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Car #43 was driven by Tom Papadopoulos, and car #44 by Johnny Mowlem.
I'm assuming that car 43 was 07 and car 44 was 08 throughout the season but I am checking.

A speculative e-mail on my part elicited a great reply from Tom Papadopoulos, who also kindly gave me permission to reproduce it here:-

DBRS9/8 (# 44) is currently in the ownership of John Sinders (one of the new owners of Aston) and has been sent back to Aston Racing to be converted for use in this years Nurburgring 24 Hour race.

John also owned the refurbished development DBRS9 affectionately known as X1... *

DBRS9/7 (# 43) is my own, it has been returned to FIA GT3 specifications from Speed World Challenge form albeit with uprated engines. Both DBRS9/7 & 8 have been converted to dry sump lubrication, different bottom end (Crank, pistons, rods, etc), different Cams as well as Vanquish S heads. All this work was performed by Aston Racing-Prodrive, the cars are incredibly reliable and fast. It is estimated they are putting out horsepower just short of the GT1 DBR9's, Jason Hill is very proud of these engines.

I feel we will return to racing in the USA with the V8 Vantage next year. It was just to hard and costly to make the cars competitive in Speed World Challenge.

* Tom also provided a picture of the development car, referred to above but, unfortunately I have been unable to copy this across. He has also subsequently advised that he is not sure that it ever had a chassis number.

Many, many thanks to Tom, for this additional info.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by John Turner

John also owned the refurbished development DBRS9 affectionately known as X1... *

* Tom also provided a picture of the development car, referred to above but, unfortunately I have been unable to copy this across. He has also subsequently advised that he is not sure that it ever had a chassis number.

Above, I'm actually quoting from Tom Papadopoulos, so another question answered, thanks panoz.lmp1

[John Turner]

Reference to the official site here:-

http://www.astonmartinracing.com/eng/dbrs9/dbrs9teams

shows that 2 other teams now run DBRS9s - Racing for Belgium (1 car) and Hexis (2 cars). Unfortunately, chassis nos are not disclosed.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Reference to the official site here:-

http://www.astonmartinracing.com/eng/dbrs9/dbrs9teams

shows that 2 other teams now run DBRS9s - Racing for Belgium (1 car) and Hexis (2 cars). Unfortunately, chassis nos are not disclosed.

Hexis turned up with 3 cars at Silverstone for the FIA GT3 race last weekend (5/6 May) and I can confirm that two carried the chassis nos. DBRS9/9 & 9/12. So, of the first 12 cars, all but chassis 11 are now accounted for. It might be reasonable to surmise that this might be the Racing for Belguim car, except that it also may be the number of the third Hexis car which I didn't manage to capture the chassis number for.

I'll post some pics of the Silverstone cars, shortly.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by John Turner

BMS Scuderia Italia have three cars and it is pure speculation on my part that these may be DBRS9/4-6. Anyone know?

The site below confirms this - don't know why I didn't check before!:-

http://www.scuderiaitalia.it/

[John Turner]

Barwell turned up to the British GT media day at Silverstone, on 15 March, with 3 DBRS9s

DBRS9/1 - Still owned by Tom Alexander; driving shared with Michael Bentwood:-








DBRS9/3 - Still owned by Lord Paul Drayson, and sharing the drive with Jonny Cocker. This is the Bio-Ethanol car, first time with this set up and with obvious teething problems so did very few laps:-






DBRS9/10 - A new car, ownership unknown (to me!) but the nominated drivers are Ben de Zille Butler and Guy Harrington:-








Note the new indentifying flashes to the livery. Here are all 3:-

[John Turner]

DBRS9/1, 9/3, and 9/10 were in action at Oulton Park last weekend and Jonny Cocker put the Bio-Ethanol car on pole for the first race! Full report on their own website, here:-

http://www.barwellmotorsport.co.uk/c...0OULTON%20PARK

[John Turner]

All taken at Silverstone - 5/6 May

DBRS9/6 - car 22 (Maggi/Zenere):-






DBRS9/5 - Car 23 (Alessi/Frassinetti):-


DBRS9/4 - Car 24 (Sardelli/Seiler)

[John Turner]

DBRS9/9 - car 25 (Gribl/Knauss):-






DBRS9/12 - Car 26 (Mackowlecki/Laginiez):-


DBRS9/?? - Car 27 (Cloet/Marchal)

[redshoes]

URL on the AM website has now changed - http://www.astonmartinracing.com/eng/teams/dbrs9teams

I believe the #27 Hexis entry is actually the Racing for Belgium car. As I understand it FIA GT3 series regs require each team to run three cars, so I'm guessing it's run under the Hexis banner in the FIA series and as Racing for Belgium elsewhere.

The car appeared at the Donington Belcar round last month (apr 2007). Running as #007, entered by Racing for Belgium and driven by Wim Coekelbergs and Ron Marchal.

[John Turner]

That would make sense, especially since it carries a strong yellow content to its livery (Each GT3 team has to appear in the same livery, albeit that there will be different colour flashes for identification purposes). This car must now be favourite to be chassis 11, I reckon.

[panoz.lmp1]

The thrid Hexis car is the belgium car DBRS9/14

[John Turner]

Excellent info. So who has 11, I wonder?

[panoz.lmp1]

One car is owned by a collector in Hongkong (was on display the Zhuhai round). But i miss to check the number ;-(

[db9spotter]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Excellent info. So who has 11, I wonder?

Originally Posted by panoz.lmp1

One car is owned by a collector in Hongkong (was on display the Zhuhai round). But i miss to check the number ;-(

"The first DBRS9 bound for Asia arrived in Hong Kong last month. The car will join the new owner’s existing collection of prestigious sports cars.
DBRS9/11, the first of its kind on the Asian continent, is likely to be used for track days, but could potentially make an appearance at the Asian Supercar Challenge (ASCC)..."

see "in brief" part of http://www.astonmartin-akasaka.com/i...rs9_update.pdf