British-based race team Blackthorn have today announced a partnership with the legendary Ecurie Ecosse brand to enter an Aston Martin GT3 EVO into the 2025/2026 Asian Le Mans Series [ALMS].

While Ecurie Ecosse made occasional appearances in the Formula One World Championship, it was in sportscar racing that the iconic Edinburgh-based race team earned international acclaim.

Next year will mark Ecurie Ecosse’s 70th anniversary of winning the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Jaguar D-Type and it seems only fitting that the brand marks this occasion with a return to the top echelons of endurance racing.

Indeed, the ALMS entry is just the start, with the partnership eager to continue the Le Mans journey begun by Ecurie Ecosse in the 1950s. The team is determined to demonstrate to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest [ACO] and Le Mans Endurance Management [LMEM] that they will deliver its best drivers and crew with the ultimate aim of returning to the world’s most famous enduro: the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn entry will also adorn Race Against Dementia logos on the car’s livery – a global charity founded by former Ecurie Ecosse driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, to fund pioneering research into prevention, treatments and cures of dementia.

Blackthorn, an Aston Martin Racing Partner Team, runs three of its own Aston Martin GT3 EVOs in various championships and has been making great strides in the British GT Championship with the team recently dominating the fifth round at Spa-Francorchamps. Blackthorn claimed its maiden race win from pole position as Scotland’s Jonny Adam took his 20th British GT Championship race win alongside Italy’s Giacomo Petrobelli, elevating the team to championship contention.

Adam – a four-time British GT Champion and two-time Le Mans category winner – will partner Petrobelli in the Aston Martin GT3 EVO for the team’s Asian Le Mans campaign. The pairing will be joined in the cockpit by GT World Challenge driver Kobe Pauwels from Belgium who is part of Aston Martin Racing’s official driver academy.

Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn will be first seen on track as a dual partnership at the opening round of the 2025/2026 ALMS season at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia from 13-14 December 2025. Two races in Dubai will follow at the end of January 2026, with the season-finale set to be held at Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi from 7-8 February.

It will not just be championship glory that Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn will be fighting for, there will also be invitations to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2026 on the line. The champions of the LMP2 and GT classes will both be awarded an invitation to race at the iconic event.

Alasdair McCaig, Ecurie Ecosse team Director, commented: “It’s a tremendous privilege to lead a team with such a storied heritage. We’re proud of our recent accomplishments and excited to embark on this new chapter—honouring the legacy while embracing fresh opportunities in modern motorsport. Ecurie Ecosse remains deeply committed to excellence, and we’re thrilled to join forces with Blackthorn to bring our vision to life on the 70th anniversary of the Le Mans victory.”

Claude Bovet, Blackthorn founder and owner, commented: “We are very excited to partner with Ecurie Ecosse – an iconic brand with a rich racing history. With two 24 Hours of Le Mans victories to its name, it is an honour to continue this legacy with the aim of returning the legendary Scottish name to where it belongs – at Circuit de la Sarthe. First, however, we have Asian Le Mans Series in our sights where we’re aiming for the championship title with one of our Aston Martin GT3 EVOs.”

About Blackthorn

Blackthorn was formed in 2022 by founder and owner Claude Bovet alongside founding team member Dan Jeal with Julien Draper joining in 2025, The team has become a highly competitive racing outfit competing in both the British GT Championship and the Michelin Le Mans Cup Series in 2024, amongst others. The team has several podium victories including a class win in Le Mans in the 2024 “Road to Le Mans” support race, as well as a win at the 2025 British GT race at Spa-Francorchamps. As a customer racing team, Blackthorn can run its three Aston Martin GT3 EVO cars in championships across the globe.

About Ecurie Ecosse

Founded in 1952 by Edinburgh accountant David Murray, Ecurie Ecosse stunned the racing world with consecutive victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1956 and 1957. Their iconic metallic blue Jaguar D-Types, distinguished by white stripes, overcame factory-supported entries from Jaguar, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Porsche, cementing Ecurie Ecosse’s place in motorsport history.

After a period away from competition, the team was successfully revived in the early 1980s by Hugh McCaig, a lifelong motorsport enthusiast. Under his leadership, Ecurie Ecosse returned to the World Sportscar Championship, where they won the C2 class title and secured two runner-up finishes within three seasons—re-establishing the team as a competitive force on the international stage.

In 1995, Ecurie Ecosse made history in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), becoming the first independent team to win both the Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships, triumphing over major manufacturer-backed teams.

The team returned to front-line sportscar racing in 2011, under the direction of Alasdair McCaig. That year, Ecurie Ecosse made a celebrated comeback at the Spa 24 Hours, fielding a strong driver line-up of Joe Twyman, Oliver Bryant, Andrew Smith, and McCaig himself. This marked the beginning of a new and successful era for the team.

Following that return, Ecurie Ecosse competed in a wide range of prestigious international and domestic series, including the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), American Le Mans Series (ALMS), British GT, Blancpain Endurance Series, and the Michelin Le Mans Cup.

Between 2012 and 2014, the team campaigned a BMW Z4 GT3 across the UK and Europe, culminating in victory in the British GT Championship in 2014. Building on that momentum, they claimed the UK LMP3 Championship in 2017, further solidifying Ecurie Ecosse’s reputation as one of motorsport’s most respected privateer outfits.

About Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS)

Created by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), the Asian Le Mans Series is growing year on year and attracts some of the world’s most successful endurance racing teams, as well as fostering new and emerging talent from the region.

The 2025/2026 Asian Le Mans Series will begin with a double header at the Sepang International Circuit. The season concludes in the UAE with back-to-back double headers in Dubai and Yas Marina Circuit.

Race 1: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia – 13 December 2025

Race 2: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia – 14 December 2025

Race 3: Dubai Autodrome, Dubai – 31 January 2026

Race 4: Dubai Autodrome, Dubai – 1 February 2026

Race 5: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi – 7 February 2026

Race 6: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi – 8 February 2026