D’station Finalizes LMGT3 Driver Lineup

Aston Martin customer squad D’station Racing has announced its full driver lineup for the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship season.

The Japanese squad, one of two teams running the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo in the new-for-2024 LMGT3 class alongside The Heart of Racing, had previously only confirmed Marco Sorensen as a driver for the upcoming season.

Now it has been revealed that Sorensen will be joined aboard D’station’s No. 777 car by Erwan Bastard for the full eight-round season and Clement Mateu for every round except the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

At Le Mans, team owner Satoshi Hoshino will reprise his role as D’station’s designated Bronze-rated driver.

As well as Hoshino, managing director Tomonobu Fujii is stepping down from full-time driving duties for the first time since D’station entered the WEC in 2021 in favour of full campaigns in SUPER GT, where he will share a car with Sorensen, and Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS.

“I am very honored to join D’station Racing and Aston Martin this year,” commented Bastard, who steps up to the WEC after driving for the Sainteloc Junior Team in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS last year.

“The World Endurance Championship is a childhood dream I have been working towards for a very long time. To finally have the chance and to be a part of the WEC with a manufacturer who wrote history within the championship is an unbelievable way to do it.

“I cannot wait to get to Qatar and hit the track with Marco and Clement next month.”

Mateu, who has driven Porsche machinery in GTWC Europe and one-make competition in recent years, said: “I am very excited to enter my first season of the World Endurance Championship with D’station Racing. I am also happy that it will be in an Aston
Martin as it shares a special history with my family business, HEXIS.

“In 2011, HEXIS AMR was crowned the FIA GT1 World Champion in the DBR9 so it is wonderful to race together again in 2024 with their latest GT3. I am looking forward to this new challenge.”

The livery for D’station’s 2024 WEC challenger, which will feature HEXIS branding as part of a “global partnership campaign” with the team, will be revealed at a later date.