24h Le Mans
Aston Martin’s 1959 victory at Le Mans 24 Hours is the marque’s only outright victory in the race to date. During the last decade, the British carmaker has become a prominent feature in GT racing and can boast four Le Mans wins between 2007 and 2017.
1989 – Ecurie Ecosse teamed up with Aston Martin to develop a Group C prototype. Costas Los, Brian Redman and Michael Roe crossed the line in 11th place. David Leslie, Ray Mallock and David Sears did not finish. After that, Le Mans 24 Hours was deprived of Aston Martin until 2005.
PHOTO (Copyright ARCHIVES ACO / CHRISTIAN VIGNON) - LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SATURDAY 10 & SUNDAY 11 JUNE 1989. Le Mans 24 hours winners in 1956 and 1957, Scottish outfit Ecurie Ecosse later teamed up with Aston Martin.
PHOTO (Copyright Philippe Chemin - ARCHIVES ACO) LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SUNDAY 15 JUNE 2008. Class winners in 2007, David Brabham and Darren Turner returned in 2008, this time with Antonio Garcia (13th overall).
2007 – A regular in the top 10, the Aston Martin DBR9 claimed a class win in 2007 (fifth overall) with David Brabham, Rickard Rydell and Darren Turner at the wheel.
PHOTO (MICHEL JAMIN / ARCHIVES ACO) - LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SUNDAY 14 JUNE 2009. The #007 and #008 Lola-Aston Martins cross the line in 4th (Jan Charouz/Tomas Enge/Stefan Mücke) and 13th place (Anthony Davidson/Darren Turner/Jos Verstappen). The #009 driven by Stuart Hall/Peter Kox/Harold Primat failed to see the chequered flag.
2009 – Aston Martin Racing moved up to LMP1 with a prototype Lola powered by the DBR9 engine, which finished fourth in 2009 and sixth in 2010. The brand also returned to the silver screen in 2005, when Daniel Craig took over the role of James Bond. In a nod to the famous MI6 agent 007, the Aston Martins began sporting three figure numbers. The practice came to an end with the advent of the World Endurance Championship in 2012, the format being prohibited under FIA race regulations.
2014 – Back in LMGTE Pro, Aston Martin won the LMGTE Amclass in 2014 with David Heinemeier Hansson, Kristian Poulsen and Nicki Thiim at the wheel (19th overall).
2017 – The closing stages of the 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans offered a nail-biting spectacle as Jordan Taylor in the Corvette made repeated attempts to wrestle the LMGTE Pro class win from Jonny Adam. The Aston Martin driver clinched the win at the beginning of the penultimate lap (17th overall).
