Fuel the Passion tells Aston Martin stories through heritage, motorsport and real-world adventure.
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From concours lawns to race paddocks, road trips and owner stories
— celebrating the cars, people and places that make the marque special.
✦ NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Aston Martin Heaven: Unleashed | Inside the Extraordinary Vantage GT4 – OUT NOW ✦
✦ NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Aston Martin Heaven: Unleashed | Inside the Extraordinary Vantage GT4 – OUT NOW ✦
Aston Martin Beyond the Debt: What Could the Future Hold?
After reflecting on Aston Martin Lagonda’s latest financial results, one question keeps returning to us, here at FTP: how different might the company’s future look if so much of its money were not being absorbed by borrowing and interest?
Our forthcoming FTP Featured Article will examine the published figures in clear, everyday language, exploring what the debt is costing, what challenges would remain without it, and what greater financial freedom could mean for the marque, its employees and the extraordinary cars they create.
This is an honest investigation from FTP, driven by our desire to see Aston Martin survive, thrive and flourish.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Aston Martin’s First-Half Results Improve - but Major Challenges Remain
Aston Martin has reported a much stronger performance for the first six months of 2026. It sold 21% more cars, revenue rose by 38% to £629 million, and the amount left after the direct cost of building those cars increased significantly. More than 220 Valhallas were delivered, while the amount of cash leaving the business also reduced sharply during the second quarter.
However, Aston Martin is still losing money. It recorded a £154 million loss before tax, while its net debt increased to around £1.5 billion. A new £550 million borrowing package gives the company more financial breathing space, but the cost of servicing its debt remains a major challenge.
In this Sunday’s FTP Weekly Roundup, Issue 35, we will strip away the financial jargon and explain the results in plain English. We’ll look at what’s improved, what remains concerning, how important Valhalla has become and whether Adrian Hallmark’s recovery plan is beginning to work.
Image © Fuel the Passion
Aston Martin DBS 2007 - 2012 and First-Generation Vanquish guides added to the FTP Buyers Guide library
OUT NOW: New Aston Martin Buyers Guides Now Live
The FTP Aston Martin Buyers Guide library continues to grow, with two major V12 models now added: the VH-era Aston Martin DBS and the first-generation Aston Martin Vanquish.
These new guides join our existing FTP Buyers Guides for the DB11, DB9 and VH-era Vantage, meaning there are now five detailed Aston Martin Buyers Guides available, covering some of the most popular and desirable models on the modern second-hand Aston Martin market.
Each guide is written to help prospective buyers and enthusiasts understand the cars more clearly, from model history, specification and driving character to known issues, ownership costs, market position and what to check before buying.
Whether you’re seriously considering an Aston Martin, already own one, or simply enjoy learning more about these remarkable cars, the FTP Buyers Guide library is here to help you buy with clearer eyes and a deeper appreciation of what makes each model special.
More Aston Martin Buyers Guides are coming soon.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Formula 1 • Summer Break • Next: Dutch Grand Prix
Summer Break Begins: Hungary Was Only the Start of Aston Martin’s AMR26 Upgrades
Hungary delivered Aston Martin’s clearest sign of progress so far, with Lance Stroll climbing from 20th to 13th and Fernando Alonso finishing 14th after reaching Q2. Formula One now pauses for the summer break before returning at Zandvoort on 21st–23rd August, where further AMR26 developments and Honda’s new-spec power unit are scheduled to arrive.
FTP Watch: Adrian Newey has confirmed that Hungary was the first part of a phased upgrade programme, with further Aston Martin steps planned for Zandvoort, Monza and Baku. The Dutch Grand Prix will be the next major test of whether an encouraging first step can become sustained midfield progress.
Hungary delivered Aston Martin’s most encouraging performance of the 2026 season so far. Read the full race report, updated championship standings and Aston Martin analysis now in the Formula One section of the FTP Motorsport Hub.
Click the button below to explore the complete update.
Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.
OUT NOW: Vanquish 25, Breitling’s DB5 Tribute and a busy motorsport weekend
FTP Weekly Roundup Issue 34 brings together two standout new Aston Martin launches: the limited-edition Vanquish 25, created to celebrate 25 years of the flagship V12 nameplate, and Breitling’s beautifully detailed Top Time tribute to the iconic DB5.
We’ll also look back at all the Aston Martin motorsport action from last weekend - including Blackthorn Racing’s superb Paul Ricard double, before previewing a crucial weekend ahead. Aston Martin’s long-awaited AMR26 upgrade arrives at the Hungarian Grand Prix, while Nicki Thiim and Comtoyou Racing return to DTM action at Oschersleben.
There’s also our Car of the Week. This one is very special indeed, but its identity will be revealed when you hit the button below.
FTP Weekly Roundup Issue 34 is OUT NOW
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
NEW VIDEO OUT NOW
ASTON MARTIN HEAVEN: UNLEASHED
Something very special is waiting behind that 007 badge.
Fuel the Passion steps inside JCT600 Aston Martin Leeds for a closer look at the extraordinary £350,000 Aston Martin Vantage GT4, alongside some of the most desirable cars in the showroom.
Hit the button below and watch Aston Martin Heaven: Unleashed.
Fuel the Passion YouTube Channel
What’s just dropped and what’s coming next
Just dropped
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✦ NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Aston Martin Heaven: Unleashed | Inside the Extraordinary Vantage GT4 – OUT NOW ✦
✦ NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO: Aston Martin Heaven: Unleashed | Inside the Extraordinary Vantage GT4 – OUT NOW ✦
Blackthorn Celebrates Pole and Double Victory at Paul Ricard
Blackthorn Racing delivered an outstanding International GT Open weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard, securing outright pole position before winning the Pro-Am category in both races with the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO.
Jonny Adam began the weekend by placing the Aston Martin at the front of the entire 30-car field, underlining the outright pace of the Vantage against the championship’s leading Pro entries.
Adam and Charlie Bateman converted that performance into a Pro-Am victory in Saturday’s opening race, finishing seventh overall after Bateman successfully protected the class lead during the closing stint.
Sunday produced an even more dramatic result. After taking over the car with Blackthorn more than 20 seconds behind the Pro-Am leader, Adam charged through the field during the second half of the race. He moved into the class lead as the contest entered its final lap, completing a remarkable recovery and securing Blackthorn’s second victory of the weekend.
An outright pole position and two Pro-Am wins made Paul Ricard Blackthorn’s most complete International GT Open meeting of the season. The results also moved Charlie Bateman to second in the Pro-Am championship, only three points behind leader Alexander Fach.
The International GT Open section of the FTP Motorsport Hub has now been fully updated. The complete Aston Martin-focused race report, result tables, championship context and revised season overview are ready to read.
Follow the link below for the full Paul Ricard report and the latest International GT Open coverage from the FTP Motorsport Hub.
Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.
Blackthorn Racing: A Season of Progress
Blackthorn Racing’s 2026 season has already delivered Aston Martin success in Asia, Pro-Am strength in International GT Open, a Bronze Cup podium at Monza and a completed Spa 24 Hours debut.
The latest Hungaroring round brought steady class finishes rather than another podium, but the wider story remains compelling: a serious Aston Martin customer team fighting, learning and growing across some of GT racing’s biggest stages.
Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.
NEW FEATURED ARTICLE IS OUT NOW
Aston Martin and Le Mans - The Long Road Back to Victory
After Aston Martin’s 2026 Le Mans weekend brought Valkyrie’s progress into sharper focus, Fuel the Passion looks at the bigger story behind the marque’s relationship with the world’s greatest endurance race.
Our new Featured Article traces the journey from the legendary 1959 DBR1 victory to the modern Valkyrie Hypercar programme, exploring why Le Mans still matters so deeply to Aston Martin, and what it really takes to chase another outright win.
This Featured Article is OUT NOW, just click on the box below to enter.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Unable to find what you’re looking for on the Fuel the Passion website? Try the search bar below, and we’ll try and help you.
Vanquish at 25: Aston Martin Owners Gather at Gaydon
Fuel the Passion was at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, on Sunday 21st June 2026, for the AMOC Festival and a very special celebration: 25 years of Aston Martin Vanquish.
Around 300 Aston Martins attended the event, including dozens of first and second-generation Vanquish models, creating a superb display of one of Aston Martin’s most important modern flagship names. I attended in the FTP Vantage, filmed throughout the day, and spoke with several Aston Martin owners about their cars, their stories and what the Vanquish means to them.
A full Fuel the Passion film from the event will be edited and released on the YouTube channel in the next few weeks, although there’s a couple to be released prior to this one. It’s a busy time of year, so films waiting to be edited start to build up a little, so please bear with us.
Please subscribe so you don’t miss it, and you’ll also be helping Fuel the Passion work towards our target of 5,000 subscribers by 1st January 2027.
Image © Fuel the Passion
25 Years of the Aston Martin Vanquish
Fuel the Passion is proud to release a special two-part Vanquish film series, produced in collaboration with the Aston Martin Owners Club and the Aston Martin Heritage Trust.
Filmed with Aston Martin historian Steve Waddingham at the Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum, the films use rare cutaway cars to explore how the first and second-generation Vanquish were built, from Newport Pagnell craftsmanship and V12 drama to carbon-fibre bodywork and Gaydon-era engineering.
Part 1 | How Aston Martin Built the First-Generation Vanquish
Part 1 is available now at the Fuel the Passion YouTube Channel or you can simply click on the image above
Part 2 | The Second-Generation Aston Martin Vanquish - Evolution of a Modern Icon
Part 2 is available now at the Fuel the Passion YouTube Channel or you can simply click on the image above
Le Mans 2026: Aston Martin’s Story, Fully Told
The chequered flag has fallen, but the Aston Martin story from Le Mans 2026 deserves more than just a results line.
Fuel the Passion has now published two dedicated reports covering an extraordinary 24 Hours of Le Mans: the emotion of the final race story, and the wider results and championship impact for Aston Martin’s Valkyrie and Vantage programmes.
From the #007 Valkyrie’s landmark Hypercar top-ten finish to the #23 Heart of Racing Vantage’s LMGT3 podium, plus the late heartbreak for the #27 Vantage, this was a race of progress, pride, endurance and emotion.
Explore the full FTP coverage below.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Aston Martin Motorsport Updates | Fuel the Passion Motorsport Hub
Want to keep tabs on the major race series Aston Martin is competing in across the world?
Then you’ve come to the right place.
Follow Aston Martin Motorsport with Fuel the Passion
Keep up with Aston Martin’s progress across Formula 1, FIA WEC, British GT, GT World Challenge, Michelin Le Mans Cup and more through the FTP Motorsport Hub and the weekly Fuel the Passion Roundup.
Click the link below to explore the Motorsport Hub.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Blackthorn Racing: FTP’s Featured Team
Fuel the Passion is proud to follow Blackthorn Racing as our Featured Team within the FTP Motorsport Hub.
An Aston Martin AMR Partner Team racing the Vantage GT3, Blackthorn represents one of the most exciting Aston Martin stories currently unfolding in modern GT racing. With ambition, heritage, serious motorsport expertise and a growing international programme, this is a team well worth following.
Click below to discover more about Blackthorn Racing, their Aston Martin programme, latest race reports, results and season updates.
Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.
Driven by Passion
Road to 5,000 subscribers
We’ve just passed 4,000 subscribers on YouTube, something I genuinely don’t take for granted, especially in a niche space focused on a single marque.
What started as a simple idea has grown into a brilliant community of people who share a passion for these cars and their stories.
The next milestone is 5,000 by 1st January 2027, whether we get there or not, it’s a challenge worth aiming for. If you’re reading this and haven’t yet subscribed, as I know many who watch aren’t subscribers, please do consider it. Simply press the button below and look for the subscribe option. It really does make a difference and means a great deal.
Thank you for being part of the journey.
LM4 is a beautifully produced account of one of Aston Martin’s most evocative pre-war racing cars, telling not only its early history but also the story of how it continues to live, run, and compete today.
Rich in detail and full of quiet authority, the book has been shaped by Steve Waddingham, Aston Martin Lagonda Historian, whose knowledge and care for the marque’s history give it real substance. The result is a publication that feels both historically important and deeply personal.
It is a wonderful piece of Aston Martin storytelling and a truly beautiful book to have in your home.
This is not an affiliate link, just a book very much worthy of your attention
FTP Vantage
Maintenance & Servicing Costs : Service, MOT, Tyres, Paint Protection Film (PPF) and more
A real-world record of Aston Martin Vantage running costs, servicing, repairs and maintenance. Honest ownership insights and full cost breakdowns from FTP.
2025 marked 90 years of the Aston Martin Owners Club (AMOC)
— a milestone celebrating nearly a century of heritage, elegance, and shared passion for one of the world’s most iconic marques.
Founded in 1935 by Mort Morris Goodall, the AMOC began with just 30 enthusiasts gathered at the Grafton Hotel in London. Today, it stands as one of the oldest one-marque car clubs in the world — with over 9,000 members across 77 countries, united by their love for Aston Martin.
This special 2 minute 45 seconds highlight film captures the spirit of the AMOC 90th Anniversary International Celebrations and Concours, held at the stunning Hotel Gut Brandlhof in Saalfelden, Austria.
From the breathtaking drive out to a lunch stop, to over 200 Aston Martins on display, and the arrival of rare models including the 1957 DB4 Prototype DP114/2, the weekend embodied everything that makes Aston Martin ownership extraordinary.
“Thinking of joining the Aston Martin Owners Club? Honestly - do it! It’s one of the best things you can do as an Aston Owner”
Dan Thorpe - Founder of Fuel the Passion
Simply click on the AMOC badge to the left, and we’ll take you straight there.
Collaborations & Partnerships
Let’s work together!
Roger Thornton-Brown Trophy
In late 2025, Fuel the Passion was deeply honoured to be recognised by the Aston Martin Owners Club with the Roger Thornton-Brown Trophy.
The award was presented in appreciation of the films and storytelling produced through Fuel the Passion, helping to shine a light on the Club, its members, and the wider world of Aston Martin, including content that supported AMOC’s submission to the Historic Motoring Awards, where the Club was proudly named Club of the Year.
It’s a recognition received with genuine gratitude, and seen very much as a reflection of the community, generosity, and shared passion that sit at the heart of AMOC and the Aston Martin marque itself.