Lance Stroll is to contest the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Paul Ricard on Saturday 11 April.

Aston Martin will field an a seven-car Vantage GT3 line-up for the event, constituting more than ten percent of the 60-car field in the world's largest GT-only endurance championship, and is the most representation the British brand has ever enjoyed at the start of the series.

The line-up features three Pro Class entries, including a fourth Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 to be driven by Stroll, former Formula One driver and GT racer Roberto Merhi and Aston Martin Academy driver Mari Boya.

Entered in the Pro Class, they will join the rest of the 60-car field for the Prologue test which takes place at Paul Ricard on Wednesday 8 April, immediately prior to the race weekend. The traditional day-to-night season opener will then commence on Saturday evening.

This car is joined by the two regular Pro class season entries at Paul Ricard, as well as two more Vantages in each of the Silver and Bronze Cups and includes a driving strength that features no less than six works GT drivers and two Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy graduates.

"It is fantastic for Aston Martin to have the strongest Vantage line-up the brand has ever fielded in the GT World Challenge Europe that includes two Pro cars filled with Aston Martin works drivers," said Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport, Adam Carter, "and we're proud to say, our two most recent AMR Driver Academy graduates Kobe Pauwels and Jamie Day.

"The GT World Challenge Europe goes from strength to strength with every passing season and there is no better way, or place, to showcase Vantage's exceptional abilities on the international motorsport stage."

The GT World Challenge Europe is the world's leading GT3-based endurance series. Featuring ten manufacturers and 60 cars, the field comprises some of the best sportscar racing talent in the world. Run over five rounds, the series begins at Paul Ricard, then goes to Monza (29-31 May) before moving on to its blue riband event - the Crowdstrike Spa 24 Hours (24-28 June). The series then completes with two three-hour races at the Nürburgring (28-30 August) and Portugal's Portimao circuit (16-18 October).

Sharing the mechanical architecture of the high-performance Vantage road car, the Vantage GT3, which triumphed at the 24 Hours of Spa in 2024 - the world's most prestigious GT3-only event, is built around Aston Martin's proven bonded aluminium chassis and powered by its fearsome twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine.