Ortmann Named Aston Martin Academy Graduate

Two-time ADAC GT4 Germany champion Mike David Ortmann has been selected as the latest graduate from the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy.

Ortmann, 24, was selected from a group of 20 candidates and will receive career guidance from Aston Martin as part of a campaign racing the British marque’s new-for-2024 GT3 challenger in a yet to be named series.

The 20 contestants were judged by a panel including factory drivers Darren Turner, Jonny Adam and Valentin Hasse-Clot, himself an Academy graduate, as well as head of Performance Gus Beteli and head of Partner Racing Huw Tasker.

Evaluations were based on each drivers’ ability to manage the strategic, teamwork, commercial and public relations aspects of their role. Previous Academy graduates include Hasse-Clot, Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis, Tom Canning and Romain Leroux.

“It is an honour for me win the AMR Driver Academy in 2023,” Ortmann said.

“This last year has been an amazing journey and I’m so thankful for all the support and opportunities I’ve had.

“I can’t wait to get the 2024 season started with the new Vantage GT3. I plan to work even harder to make another step forward, both in terms of my skillsets and my career goals.”

The German racer has been a frontrunner in GT4 Germany over the past two years, securing back-to-back titles with PROsport Racing alongside Hugo Sasse.

Ortmann has also been competing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, most notably contesting last year’s Nürburgring 24 in a PROsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

“We are delighted to see Mike David graduate,” said Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s head of Endurance Motorsport.

“Since he began racing Vantage back in 2021, he has consistently produced outstanding results and has shown all the qualities and characteristics that made his predecessors stand-out as AMR Driver Academy graduates – we expect that to continue through 2024.

“As a mechanism for assessing and identifying outstanding talent within our partner ranks, the AMR Driver Academy is an essential tool and one we value highly.”