Aston Milestone

This month marks the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin’s one and only victory at Le Mans. With such a major milestone for the Newport Pagnell manufacturer, we were very honored when they approached us about producing a special issue devoted to this win, as well as their rich racing history.

Aston Martin came into being in 1914, but didn’t make its first appearance at the Sarthe until 1928. Remarkably, Aston Martin went on to compete every year at Le Mans from 1931 until 1964—an amazing track record that has yet to be broken. Yet, despite this record-setting run of participation, it was not until 1959 that Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori were able to nurse their DBR1 home to an emotional victory after their major competition (Ferrari) was drawn into a self-destructive pace by Stirling Moss in one of the sister Astons. While the rest of the motoring press seems to have all but ignored this historic anniversary, we’ve drawn together a fascinating issue that pays tribute not only to the cars, but also to the men who drove and built them.