Daytona, FL
Roman De Angelis made his debut as part of a team of four drivers for the first official race of the season at the wheel of the #23 The Heart of Racing (THoR), Aston Martin, in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The Rolex 24 is always a rollercoaster event for both teams and drivers. The gruelling event pushes man and machine to the absolute limits. Unfortunately close to five hours into the race the #23 THoR Aston Martin fell victim to an incident at pit entry with the #47 PPM Lamborghini. The damage sustained to the Aston Martin was substantial enough that trackside repairs weren't possible and the team was forced to retire from the event. Fortunately, no driver was injured as a result of the incident. Roman wasn't behind the wheel during the incident as he'd already completed a two-hour stint earlier in the race. Although this was not how Roman nor the team wanted to start the season, all was not lost. The team was able to raise over $100,000 for Seattle Children's Hospital this weekend – which is a fantastic start to what will be an excellent run for the season.
"This wasn't the way we wanted to kick the season off on the track, but we're out there for the kids and raising over $100,000 for Seattle Children's is a big win. I was also lucky enough to get some more time behind the wheel of the Aston Martin this weekend, which is crucial for the team and I moving into the season. I have to thank The Heart of Racing team for all their hard work this weekend. I'm looking forward to turning the page and returning to Sebring, a track I've had great success at in the past." Roman De Angelis
Roman and the #23 team have the month of February to rebuild, regroup, and get ready for another one of our favourite races – 12 hrs of Sebring in March. Back in 2016 The Heart of Racing team enjoyed a class victory at this event and are looking forward to the opportunity to prove themselves once again. Make sure to follow Roman as he prepares for the next endurance race of the season through his social channels.
