24 Hours of Le Mans – Aston Martin, victory finally

 

Photo : Arnaud CORNILLEAU / ACO

 

In 2008, David Brabham, Darren Turner and Antonio Garcia finished 13th with the DBR9, winning the LM GT1 class. In 2014, the victory of Poulsen-Thiim-Heinemeier Hansson was symbolic above and beyond the title. No one has forgotten the passing away of Danish driver Allan Simonsen in 2013 and this victory had the undeniable value of paying homage for his three fellow countrymen.

Aston Martin literally crushed the LM GTE Am class, leading 296 laps of 334 completed by the winning Danish trio, which had taken over for its sister car of Lana-Lamy-Nygaard after it was forced to retire. Last year, Aston Martin was, all classes considered, the most victorious manufacturer of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), winning the FIA Endurance Trophy for the LM GTE Am drivers. This year, the factory team is still entered in the two LM GTE classes. With two victories in the LM GTE Am class in the 2014 World Championship (Silverstone and Le Mans), Aston Martin Racing as well as David Heinemeier-Hansson, Kristian Poulsen and Nicki Thiim carry a big lead in the teams and drivers provisional rankings. On the other hand, the British manufacturer trails Ferrari and Porsche in the LM GTE Pro class, but the battle between these three motorsports legends remains one of the great attractions of the World Championship.

Fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas will take place at Austin (Texas, United States) Saturday, September 20th.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY JUNE 14 2014, RACE. Like the DBR9 of Brabham-Turner-Garcia in 2008, the Aston Martin Vantage of Poulsen-Thiim-Heinemeier Hansson wore the colours sky blue and orange of the Gulf oil company, victorious in La Sarthe in 1968, 69 and 75.