Aston Martin names Dalla Lana Rolex 24 replacement
Aston Martin Racing has revealed a revised driver line-up for its works Vantage GT3 in next weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona, following Paul Dalla Lana's withdrawal.
The British marque has announced that FIA World Endurance Championship regular Dalla Lana will be replaced by AMR junior driver Andrew Watson for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship curtain-raiser.
Watson, 24, was part of the Garage 59 squad's assault on the Blancpain GT Series (now GT World Challenge Europe) Endurance Cup last year. He'll partner Mathias Lauda, Pedro Lamy and Ross Gunn aboard the #98 car in what will be his first IMSA race outing.
"This is such a great opportunity for me," commented the Ulsterman. "I am very grateful to Aston Martin for the chance to continue to prove what I can do. I know the Vantage GT3 well, having raced it in Europe last season.
"It’s all come about quickly but my focus is on preparation to ensure I do the best job possible and deliver a result for the team. I’ve never raced in America before so for the first event to be the Rolex 24 is mind blowing. We’ve got a great line-up and we should be competitive.”
Dalla Lana was forced to withdraw from the Aston line-up after sustaining an injury in a skiiing accident, which limited the car's running during the Roar Before the 24 test.
The Canadian however is set to return to action for the next round of the WEC at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on February 22-23.
“It’s a real shame not to be racing in the Rolex 24, a race that’s close to my heart and particularly with Aston Martin where we have unfinished business," said Dalla Lana.
"But I wish my old teammates Mat and Pedro luck, as well as my current WEC partner Ross, and offer my thanks to Andrew for stepping up to the plate so quickly.
"It’s a tough race but this is a strong crew and I sincerely wish them all good luck. I can’t wait to get back in the cockpit at COTA in February.”
Aston has also announced Alex Riberas as its 'AMR North America driver'. The Spaniard had already been confirmed as one of the full-timers aboard the Heart of Racing squad's Vantage GT3 (pictured below), alongside Roman de Angelis.
Team manager Ian James joins the pair for the four Michelin Endurance Cup events, starting with Daytona, while Aston factory driver Nicki Thiim completes the Rolex 24 line-up.
#23 Heart Of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3, GTD: Roman De Angelis, Nicki Thiim, Ian James, Alex Riberas
Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images
Previous article
AIM Vasser Sullivan confirms Telitz in Rolex 24 line-up
Next article
Honda launches GT3 Driver Academy
About this article
| Series | IMSA |
| Event | Daytona 24 |
| Teams | Aston Martin Racing |
| Author | Jamie Klein |
24 Hours of Daytona Video Recap
24 Hours of Daytona: Fourth Place for Ferrari
Watch the entire Rolex 24 in just over a minute
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.
Nine things to watch at the 2021 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
After a 100-minute sprint race to whet the appetite, the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship gets underway properly this weekend. With plenty of significant changes during the winter, here are the key points you need to keep an eye on
Why Magnussen is relishing a fresh start in sportscars
Having gone over seven years without a race win through spells with McLaren, Renault and Haas, Kevin Magnussen's departure from Formula 1 for IMSA with big-hitters Chip Ganassi Racing could give him what he craves most - a chance of success
Oliver Gavin's Corvette Racing highlights
Oliver Gavin has stepped down from the full-time Corvette Racing line-up after a stellar career with the team spanning nearly 20 years. He looks back on a stint that encompassed, among other successes, five Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
How Tandy joined an exclusive club of endurance legends
Victory at last year's Spa 24 Hours meant Nick Tandy had completed the unofficial sextuple crown of the world's six biggest endurance races, becoming the first Briton to do so. Ahead of his fresh start with Corvette Racing, he explains how he did it…
The 12 greatest Sebring 12 Hours ranked
The 2020 edition of the Florida sportscar classic is finally taking place this weekend, eight months after its traditional date in March. That meant there was plenty of time for Motorsport.com to pour over its previous 67 races and select the best.
Tony Kanaan’s top 10 races – in his own words
The 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan probably hasn’t yet driven his final IndyCar race, but we still asked him for the 10 most significant races of his career. He explained his choices to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why the GTE ruleset looks to have run its course
The GTE ruleset has served sportscar racing in both Europe and the United States well over the past decade. But now there are clear signs that the end of its life is in sight as manufacturer support continues to fade.
