Photo: Aston Martin

New venture between HWA and AF Racing paves way for Aston Martin entry

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HWA AG, responsible for developing and running the Mercedes cars in the DTM, and AF Racing AG, parent company of the R-Motorsport racing team in the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup, have started a new strategic and technological alliance to develop new ventures in motorsport, which could facilitate the arrival of Aston Martin cars in the DTM from 2020.

AF Racing AG is a strategic partner in the Aston Martin Valkyrie hyper car project, together with Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd and Red Bull Technologies.

HWA AG has developed and maintained the Mercedes C63 DTM race cars currently competing in the Germany-based series and is a technological and motorsport partner for Mercedes-Benz.

The new alliance strengthens the rumours for an Aston Martin customer racing entry in the DTM from 2020.

Dr. Florian Kamelger, co-owner of AF Racing AG and Team Principal of R-Motorsport said: “The founding of the joint venture with HWA AG opens up entirely new possibilities for the strategic development of our company, both in racing and in the rest of the automotive sector.”

Dr. Andreas Baenziger, co-owner of AF Racing AG said: “HWA AG has been extremely successful in the DTM and GT sport for decades and has many years of experience in the construction of racing cars and in the development of special models in the high-performance road vehicle segment. This is the ideal basis for our new joint venture to become a successful technology company.”

Ulrich Fritz, CEO of HWA AG and Mercedes AMG boss in the DTM, added: “AF Racing is a young and highly dynamic company striving for new paths, combined with decades of experience of HWA AG in the international market Motorsport offers great potential.”

Aston Martin was originally rumoured to enter the DTM with a Honda engine, already developed to Class One specifications and racing in the Japanese Super GT. However HWA is believed to already have started development of a two-litre four-cylinder 600BHP turbocharged engine for when Mercedes was set for a continued DTM programme and the new deal could lead to completion of the power unit.