Car Blanche wins Petit Le Mans in maiden victory with Aston Martin Vantage GT3
The New Jersey racing team claimed its first IMSA win at Road Atlanta in only its sixth championship start, with works drivers securing Aston Martin's third class victory in the 29-year history of the endurance classic.
Car Blanche Racing claimed a maiden victory in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Motul Petit Le Mans on Saturday, taking the GTD Pro class at Road Atlanta in only the team’s sixth championship appearance and third race in the all-professional driver category.
The New Jersey-based team fielded Aston Martin works drivers Mattia Drudi of Italy, Marco Sørensen of Denmark and Valentin Hasse Clot of France. It was Aston Martin’s third class win in the 29-year history of the 10-hour endurance classic, following victories by the DBR9 in 2006 and the Heart of Racing Team in 2021, according to the company.
A dominant late push
Car Blanche ran consistently inside the top six throughout most of the race. Drudi, who had qualified second in his class, moved into third place with 40 minutes remaining and then passed two rivals in a single move to take the lead. He maintained that position to the finish, delivering a defensive performance under late-race pressure.
“The car was really good in that last stint, and we were able to push really hard, which meant I was able to fight for the win,” Drudi said. He also won the 24 Hours of Spa in 2024 with Aston Martin Racing’s Comtoyou Racing partner.
Building momentum for 2027
The victory marks a rapid ascent for a team that entered IMSA in June. Hasse Clot, who joined Car Blanche at its debut, called the win “an amazing reward for all the hard work” and noted that the team had been competitive from the start while building experience with each race.
Car Blanche will compete full-time in GTD Pro starting next year, according to Aston Martin.
Broader season results
The win was Aston Martin’s first in the GTD Pro class during 2026, though the sixth such victory for the Vantage GT3 in that category overall. The marque finished the season as GTD Manufacturers’ vice-champion, with three teams competing under its banner. The Heart of Racing Team, which fielded Dudu Barrichello of Brazil, finished third in the drivers’ standings but suffered an electrical issue at Petit Le Mans that removed it from title contention. Magnus Racing, which returned to racing at Road Atlanta for the first time since June, finished fifth in class with John Potter, Spencer Pumpelly and Mario Farnbacher.
The Vantage GT3 shares its mechanical platform with Aston Martin’s road-going Vantage and uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine mounted in the company’s bonded aluminium chassis, according to the manufacturer.
This article was compiled by the CityLifeBytes editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
