Maxime Martin's secrets of Spa-Francorchamps
The titanic battle for supremacy in the LMGTE Pro category will rumble on at the TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in a week's time.
As one of only two Belgians entered in the race, Aston Martin Racing’s Maxime Martin will be relishing the opportunity to show off his skills in front of the home fans.
Rewind 12 months and the start of the new model Aston Martin Vantage AMR showed promise, but the squad still needed additional development before they became a category-winning proposition.
“I think Spa will be quite different for us this year because we have improved as a team and also learned more about the Aston Martin Vantage now,” explained Martin.
“Last year was the beginning of the programme for the car and also for me, so this time we should be in much better shape. The Balance of Performance [BoP] has changed quite a bit throughout the season which is not a secret for anyone, so I think we are going to Spa in a good place.”
Martin alludes to Spa-Francorchamps having a special place in his heart, saying that he always accepts the challenge of driving this dramatic 6.976-kilometre track: “Spa is always a special place for me as it is my home race. Doing so in a World Championship like WEC is an especially nice feeling and the fans are always amazing.”
He added: “You can always find some time at Spa, that is the beauty of the place - especially in sector two where you need grip and a strong downforce from your car. This is a key area downhill from Les Combes to Stavelot, this is pretty much all medium to high speed corners and I think we will be quite strong here.”
Martin was born in Uccle in the southern part of the Belgian capital, Brussels, just 90 minutes from Spa itself. Competing at his home track brings additional attention to Martin who always enjoys his visits to the legendary Ardennes racetrack.
“I actually don’t race a lot in Belgium, but it is always a pleasure to race there and know there is some added support for me - and also Aston Martin Racing."
