SONOMA, Calif., (December 12, 2022) – Following a successful double-season effort last season in the GT America Powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America championships, Flying Lizard Motorsports will be back in 2023 once again racing under the SRO America umbrella. The 11-time sports car racing champions will again spice up the GT4 levels of competition in the North American race series, with Jason Bell joining the team to race the No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in GT America. Elias Sabo will return to the program to again race the No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in GT America and come back to fight for the GT4 America championship crown in GT4 America alongside co-driver Andy Lee in the No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
In its third year, the 2023 GT America season will consist of 18 races split between nine race weekends, opening in March St. Petersburg, Florida, in support of the NTT IndyCar Series. Bell and Sabo will each compete in their own Aston Martins in the single-driver, 40-minute sprint race format in a pair of races each weekend. Created for Bronze-ranked drivers only, the series is geared specifically for amateur but competitive GT racing drivers, racing GT2, GT3, and GT4 machinery from the top manufacturers in the world.
Though a newcomer to Flying Lizard Motorsports, Bell first joined the series (then Pirelli World Challenge) in 2017, getting his first taste of professional sports car racing. He went on to win the 2021 GT America championship in its inaugural season, with 12 podiums and four wins. In 2022, he finished runner-up by a mere six points with nine podiums and one win. He’ll enter the approaching race season with a renewed vigor to make a strong challenge for the championship, utilizing the experience, knowledge, and expertise of Flying Lizard Motorsports.
“We are really excited to have Jason Bell join us next year,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “He has always been a strong competitor and is always fighting for a win. Over the past several years he has raised his level on track with both lap times and his race craft and we look forward to working together with him in hopes of bringing him and Flying Lizard Motorsports a championship in the GT America class in 2023.”
Sabo will pull double duty, racing a partial season in GT America, seeking to build on his previous year's momentum. At Sebring International Raceway, he celebrated his first win in SRO America and closed out the season with one pole position and four top-five finishes. He will also return to race a full season in the GT4 America series with co-driver Andy Lee, following the pair’s eight-podium season in 2023. The two, with Flying Lizard, remained in contention for the championship until the final race of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, finishing third in the Pro/Am category. The series format allows for one or two drivers per car, competing in the Pro/Am, Silver, and Am categories in two races per weekend. The 14-race championship will have a nearly identical schedule as GT America, but without the pairs of rounds at St. Petersburg, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee. The GT4 America season will open at the end of March at Sonoma Raceway, a home track for Flying Lizard.
“Elias and Andy had such a strong season last year,” said Law. “To come from where they did early in the season to a point of consistently being a front runner fighting for wins and with a shot at a championship just gives us more incentive for the upcoming season. They have both been working hard testing this winter, we are very comfortable with the Aston Martin platform, and we feel we are in a great position to go for a GT4 America Championship in 2023.”
The announcement of the team’s three Aston Martin Vantage entries will be the first of several 2023 announcements for Flying Lizard Motorsport, with additional news dropping in the coming months. To stay up to date, visit lizardms.com.
DRIVER QUOTES
Jason Bell | No. 2 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, GT America
I am very excited to join Flying Lizard Motorsports for the 2023 GT America season. I would like to thank the whole Lizard team, Elias Sabo, and Darren Law, whom all helped make this become a reality. This will be an exciting new chapter in my career in SRO. I have always respected the Lizard team and what they have accomplished over the years. I have raced against this team for five years and have always noticed the professionalism, preparation, and winning drive they bring to every race weekend. There is no doubt this team wants to win. Winning the 2021 GT America championship and then finishing second in the 2022 GT America championship, I feel I have something to prove in 2023 my goal is to win another title. I would like to thank GMG for the last five years I have been part of their team. James and Joe have played a huge roll to get me to where I am today. I am looking forward to my home race in St Petersburg in March! You don’t want to miss this one.
Elias Sabo | No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, GT America & Pirelli GT4 America
Andy and I are excited to be back with Flying Lizard for the 2023 season. This will be our second season driving an Aston Martin and working with Flying Lizard Motorsports. Last year we finished the 2022 campaign with steadily improving results and we hope to take that momentum into the 2023 season.
Andy Lee | No. 8 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, GT4 America
After such an incredible year Elias and I cannot wait to get back in our Aston Martin GT4 for the opener at Sonoma. We’ve been working hard over the off-season, along with Flying Lizard, to continue to improve our competitiveness. We’re very excited to get started!
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