Aston Martin factory driver Maxime Martin will launch his own GT racing team next season.

The Martin Racing Team, which will be based near Charleroi Airport in Brussels, Belgium, will field a pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT4s in the 2020 European GT4 and ADAC GT4 Championships.

“I am nowhere near finished with my own driving career, but I wanted to begin a venture that can grow into the future and I wanted to be a part of something that allowed me to give back to the sport I’ve been involved with my entire life,” said Martin, who shares the No.97 Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE with Alex Lynn in the WEC.

“GT racing, and in particular GT4, has become incredibly popular with young drivers coming into the sport, as well as enthusiastic gentleman racers. Myself and my business partner Thomas Matton (a senior mechanic in the BMW DTM program), have the experience to develop this talent through this team and we have big ambitions for the future.”

Martin said that running two Vantage GT4s was the obvious choice for his new team, but added that they were also the best option on the market.

“Being part of the factory program made it a common sense decision to race the Vantages,” said Martin, “I have driven and contributed to the development of the customer car, so I understand it well. But I also think that the Vantage GT4 is among the best. It really is a proper racing car, and Aston Martin is a massive brand that carries a lot of interest, so it is the perfect car to start with.”

Martin and Matton, who have worked together for 11 years across a range of motorsport programs, will head up the team in partnership and intend to expand the operation to include VLN and Creventic programs once the initial plan has been established successfully.

“We commend Max for taking the brave and committed step to launch his own racing team and of course we wish him well,” said Aston Martin Racing President, David King. “As one of the fastest and most experienced GT drivers in the world, we’re also glad that he will continue to race with us in the FIA WEC!

“That he has chosen to begin life as a team owner with Aston Martin is an advocation of the exceptional level of performance the Vantage has displayed across multiple categories around the world in its first year. That it is still early in its lifecycle as a customer racing car, and yet so popular with customers, bodes well for the future of Aston Martin Racing.”