TF Sport Transporting ELMS Chassis to Replace Keating Car

TF Sport is transporting its European Le Mans Series Aston Martin Vantage GTE to Spa-Francorchamps as a replacement for its damaged No. 33 GTE-Am car following an accident during FIA World Endurance Championship pre-season testing on Monday.

The No. 33 TF Sport Aston Martin sustained chassis damage after Ben Keating lost control whilst ascending the hill at Raidillon and crashed into the left-side barriers.

Team principal Tom Ferrier confirmed to Sportscar365 that the British team is in the process of bringing a replacement GTE car over to Belgium from the United Kingdom.

The team expects to receive its ELMS chassis at around 5 a.m. tomorrow morning ready for its participation in Tuesday’s test sessions.

Ferrier said that the replacement Aston Martin is ready to run after competing in the European Le Mans Series season-opener at Barcelona on April 18.

Both TF Sport-run Aston Martins were involved in heavy solo accidents during Monday’s opening session of the two-day 2021 Prologue test. 

The No. 777 D’station Racing Aston Martin Vantage GTE, which is operated by the TF crew, will be repaired following its impact with the left-side tire barriers at Raidillon.

Satoshi Hoshino’s accident, which was caused by a left-rear puncture, occurred just 10 minutes after the green flags waved to end the red flag caused by Keating’s crash.

According to Ferrier, the frontal impact of the D’station car prevented the chassis from sustaining serious damage, while the Keating car impacted the barriers at an angle.

It’s understood that Keating’s accident was not caused by an issue with the car.

Both Keating and Hoshino walked away from their accidents and were checked and released from the Spa-Francorchamps medical centre.

It is not the first time that TF Sport has needed to make a late chassis replacement ahead of a major race at Spa.

A crash in the build-up to the 2019 Total 24 Hours of Spa resulted in the team bringing in one of its British GT chassis that went on to win the Pro-Am class in that race.