The Japanese brand of high performance tyres, Yokohama, will once again partner with Aston Martin for this year's Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. The company will revive its successful partnership with the Japanese brand, as it enters the world-famous event with a two-car team, using the new four-door Rapide and the V12 Vantage.

As in previous years, both cars will be prepared and run by an in-house team of engineers and technicians from Aston Martin's base at Gaydon in the UK. The driver line-up will also feature key Aston Martin personnel, including Dr Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive and lead driver in the Rapide and Chris Porritt, Engineering Manager, who will drive both the Rapide and Vantage during the race.

Again, as with previous years, both the Rapide and the V12 Vantage will be lightly modified only for the race, with the emphasis on safety and endurance, rather than outright performance.

After two successful years in partnership with the V8 Vantage N24 model, Yokohama has again been asked to partner with the Aston Martin team for 2010. The company has worked closely with the team to develop the Yokohama ADVAN A005 and A006 race tyres that both cars will use for the 24-hour event.

This is the result of the experience and knowledge Yokohama has gained through decades of motorsport success, as well as from its development facility located at the Nürburgring itself.

Commenting, Dr Bez said: "This race represents the ultimate final engineering durability test for any sports car - it subjects the car to the toughest possible assessment under public scrutiny."

Dr Bez will be joined in the Rapide race car by British journalist Matthew Marsh, Nürburgring Test Centre Director Wolfgang Schuhbauer and Chris Porritt. The latter will also take the wheel of the Vantage during the race, partnered by Peter Cate from the UK, journalist Richard Meaden and Olivier Mathai from Germany.

The event begins at 4pm today and runs for a full 24 hours, finishing at 4pm tomorrow.