The pace is snail-slow, the antithesis to the frenetic excitement of the high-octane motorsports synonymous with the city of Le Mans. Exploring the timeless, historic and gastronomic charm of Le Mans and its less-travelled Sarthe landscape, scattered with villages of infinite charms, offers a very different kind of thrill of discovery. Previously, I hadn’t even …
Author Archives: Harriet Hirshcler
A WINNING
The Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar entered the world with a licence plate attached, yet it was designed from the get-go to be a world-beating endurance racer. Every element, from the ingenious aerodynamics to the bestial power and the engineering team’s most obsessive precision, was exacted in order to achieve speed and dominance. Now it’s being …
POWER TO
Since the inception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) has released posters that share the thrill of the event with audiences worldwide. The first sets the stage for what would become a race for the ages: a car speeding through the night, competitors following in pursuit in the …
UNSTOPPABLE
What does ‘Aston Martin racing car’ say to you? For F1 fans, it’s the sleek new AMR25 that Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso will be campaigning in 2025. For classic race enthusiasts? Maybe the 1959 Le Mans, where Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori brought their DBR1 home ahead of teammates Maurice Trintignant and Paul Frère …
Racing
There are few more heart-stopping, high-octane motorsport movies than those set at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That’s probably because the Circuit de la Sarthe has produced its fair share of cinematic moments in real life – not least during the 1959 race when Carroll Shelby steered Aston Martin to a historic one-two win …
24 HOURS
Since 1923, north western France has played host to the single most iconic endurance event in motorsport: the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s a race that’s defined marques, rendered specific cars tried and tested icons and built the careers of some of the most famous drivers in history. Needless to say, it, like motor …
IN THE
There are dream jobs, and then there are dream jobs. And Darren Turner appears to have one of the very best of all. The 50-year-old is one of Britain’s most successful and experienced racing drivers. Not only does he work for Aston Martin Racing as a factory driver, but he also works as a highperformance …
THE TEST
It’s an elegant, understated car but you’d be making a mistake to wander past the ‘Red Dragon’ without lingering. Emblazoned with a red Welsh dragon, the 1936 2-litre Speed Model has an astounding racing history, says Robert Blakemore, managing director of pre-war Aston Martin sales, service and parts specialist Ecurie Bertelli Ltd. “Built in Aston …
Building
There’s much more to purchasing a Valhalla than the mere tick of a box. When it comes to ordering and specifying Aston Martin’s first series-production mid-engined supercar, only a visit to one of the company’s bespoke configuration pods at Gaydon will do. Here, surrounded by samples of paint, leather, carbon, brake callipers and switchgearall neatly …
On Camera
Le Mans is The One. Other endurance races have their highlights, from the Nürburgring’s ‘Green Hell’ to Eau Rouge at Spa. But Le Mans is the doyen; the oldest 24-hour race and the only one known to the wider public. And Aston Martin has written many chapters in the Le Mans story, recording multiple class …