Former BMW factory asset Maxime Martin will join Aston Martin Racing’s GTE-Pro driver lineup in the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship ‘super season’.
The 2015 Spa 24 Hours winner announced his leave from the BMW works operation last week after a five year spell that included three seasons in DTM with the RMG and RBM squads.
The 31-year-old Belgian joins DS Virgin Formula E driver Alex Lynn as the second new addition to Aston Martin’s factory roster.
The marque's 2017 driving quartet of Darren Turner, Jonny Adam, Marco Sorensen and Nicki Thiim has been retained, although AMR will confirm the exact partnerships in the new year.
"I raced for a lot of different privateer teams, but BMW was my first big manufacturer," Martin told Motorsport Week.
"Coming to Aston Martin Racing after five years with a German manufacturer marks a very different challenge, but I’m really excited about it."
"I won a lot of races during my time at BMW, but I think now is the right time for a change, with the arrival of the new Vantage GTE."
"Aston Martin is a fantastic brand in racing and I really want to take this opportunity from scratch. I've been in contact with Aston Martin for some time, having raced its cars in GTs, so it's great to finally be here."
"Now, after three years in DTM, I want to concentrate more on GT racing and Aston Martin gives me the perfect opportunity to do that."
Martin's exact programme will also be announced in the new year, although he is set to drive in the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking his fourth appearance at the French enduro.
As recently as November, he conducted testing of the BMW M8 GTE that will race against the new AMR Vantage in next year’s WEC.
The son of four-time Spa 24 Hours winnner Jean-Michel is no stranger to Aston Martin machinery, having raced a DRB9 in the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship.
He also made his Le Mans debut in a Lola-AMR LMP1 entered by the Marc VDS squad in the same year.
AMR team principal Paul Howarth added: “We’ve had an eye on Maxime for several years now, so we are delighted to welcome him to Aston Martin Racing."
"He is an exceptionally talented GT driver and he is the perfect addition to our high-calibre driver line-up.”
Martin will turn his first laps behind the wheel of the Vantage GTE early next year.
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