Week Ending 5th July 2026

Editor’s Introduction - Dan, Fuel the Passion

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes. Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa - Blackthorn Racing Vantage GT3.

Welcome to this week’s Fuel the Passion Weekly Roundup, where we begin with racing. Last weekend gave us plenty to follow across the Aston Martin competition world, from IMSA at Watkins Glen to the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, where Blackthorn Racing was part of the story and where Aston Martin was represented in one of GT racing’s biggest and most atmospheric events of the season. With some superb Spa imagery to share as well, including Blackthorn’s Vantage against that wonderful Ardennes backdrop, it feels like the right place to begin before we move on to Formula One and a difficult Austrian Grand Prix for Aston Martin Aramco.

The British Grand Prix is taking place as this Roundup goes live, so we’ll keep this week’s F1 coverage focused on Austria, the state of the AMR26 programme and the build-up to Silverstone. The full British GP result will be covered separately in the FTP Motorsport Hub next week.

Away from the race tracks, Aston Martin has confirmed a very strong presence for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with the new DB12 S, Vantage S and DBX S taking centre stage. That links neatly with our recent FTP Featured Article looking at what the modern S badge now means for Aston Martin, and it gives Goodwood a clear product story as well as the usual theatre.

This morning also sees the launch of our new Featured Article: Aston Martin and Le Mans: The Long Road Back to Victory. It looks at why Le Mans still holds such emotional weight for Aston Martin, why the 1959 DBR1 victory remains the benchmark, and why the Valkyrie Hypercar programme should be seen as a serious ongoing journey rather than a completed comeback.

There’s also a more personal FTP update later in the Roundup, including a week partly spent with my son in London, hence the delay in updating various parts of the website this week, a visit to the Churchill War Rooms and linking that to Aston Martin, a look at Aston Martin’s new Berkeley Square showroom site, and the continuing wait for approval on the remaining Vanquish film recorded at Aston Martin Works.

For now though, we’ll start where the weekend started: with Aston Martins racing hard in GT and endurance competition.

Spa 24 Hours: Spa 24 Hours: Aston Martin survives, fights back and wonders what might have been

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is one of those races that still feels properly old-school in its demands. Speed alone isn’t enough. The car has to survive the traffic, the night, the weather, the rhythm changes and the pressure of a grid packed with factory-backed GT3 talent.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

This year’s race was especially punishing. A 69-car field, extreme heat, long safety car periods and changing conditions turned Spa-Francorchamps into a 24-hour sprint with very little room for error. The broadcast described the race as a flat-out 24-hour contest rather than the old endurance approach of simply getting the car to the end.

For Aston Martin, it was not a perfect weekend. But it was a weekend full of story.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes. Spa, Walkenhorst garages - Vantage GT3 Evo.

The headline Aston Martin result came from the #34 natural elements by Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo, driven by Jamie Day, Christian Krognes and Henrique Chaves.
It finished seventh overall and seventh in Pro Cup, completing the race on the lead lap. On paper, that’s already a strong result in a race as deep as Spa. In context, it was remarkable.

The #34 Aston was caught up in the major first-lap incident at Pouhon, where an Audi and the Walkenhorst Aston came together at high speed before several cars behind were also collected. The broadcast described “mayhem” breaking out, with the #34 Aston getting air underneath it before limping back to the pits.

Watch the crash that shaped Aston Martin’s Spa fightback:

That moment changed how the result should be viewed. This was not a clean run to seventh. It was a rescue mission from the first racing lap. Under the safety car, Walkenhorst did exactly what a top endurance team has to do. The car was brought in, assessed, repaired where possible, short-fuelled and sent back out while still on the lead lap. The coverage later highlighted how the team kept using yellow-flag periods to bring the Aston in without surrendering its position in the race.

From there, the #34 became one of the great recovery stories of the race. At one stage, the commentators said they still couldn’t understand how the car was not only still in the race, but still on the lead lap and genuinely competitive. Later, during the final pit cycle, the Aston even briefly led the race on the road before making its final stop.
By the flag, Jamie Day, Christian Krognes and Henrique Chaves were seventh overall.

Only eight cars finished on the lead lap, and the #34 Aston was one of them.

After what had happened on the opening lap, that was far more than just a respectable top-ten finish.

There was also a genuine sense of what might have been for Comtoyou Racing’s #007 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo. Nicki Thiim, Marco Sørensen and Mattia Drudi had already given Aston Martin victory in the opening Endurance Cup round at Paul Ricard, and Spa showed flashes of the same potential.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

After a difficult start, the #007 worked its way back into the top ten, with Drudi noted for putting the Aston into that group as the race moved into the evening. As conditions changed, the Comtoyou Astons began to look stronger, with the coverage noting that Aston Martin was “*far from finished*” and that the Vantage was coming back into the pattern of the race.

For a period, Aston Martin had two cars running well inside the fight, with the Comtoyou effort looking capable of turning Spa into another major result. But the #007’s challenge ended when Nicki Thiim had a big moment at Raidillon while fighting around the top five. The car struck the barrier, suffered front-left suspension damage and was later confirmed as out of the race.

Watch the moment #007’s Spa challenge ended:

That was the cruel side of Spa. The pace was there. The fightback was there. But in a race where one small moment can undo hours of work, the #007 became Aston Martin’s big lost opportunity.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

For FTP though, the more personal story came from **Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Racing**. Their **#56 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO**, driven by **Jonny Adam, Romain Leroux, Giacomo Petrobelli and Lorcan Hanafin**, was making its **Spa 24 Hours debut** in the highly competitive Bronze Cup class.

It was not a gentle introduction. Before the race had even settled, the team had already endured a scare over a suspected post-qualifying engine change. A 150-second stop-and-go penalty was initially issued, then rescinded once officials confirmed no such change had taken place.

Even so, the disruption left the #56 starting 60th on a 69-car grid.

Then came Spa’s usual mixture of darkness, rain and drama. In the ninth hour, as rain arrived and the field moved onto wet tyres, the #56 briefly showed flames at the front of the car.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

The crew dealt with it quickly, and the Aston was back in the race within minutes. In a 24-hour race, especially at Spa, moments like that can easily become race-ending. This one became part of the story instead.

Watch Blackthorn’s Spa pit-lane scare:

After 24 hours and 529 laps, the #56 reached the finish 31st overall and sixth in the 16-car Bronze Cup. Given the starting position, the penalty scare, the fire and the fact this was the team’s first appearance at the Spa 24 Hours, that was a result worth banking.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

Blackthorn has become a team we’ve been following more closely this season, not just because of the results, but because of the way their programme fits into the wider Aston Martin customer-racing story.

This Spa debut came only a fortnight after Jonny Adam stood on the LMGT3 podium at Le Mans in an Aston Martin Vantage, and Blackthorn itself frames GT World Challenge Europe and the Asian Le Mans Series as part of a longer road back to Le Mans for the Ecurie Ecosse name, a name that last won there in 1957.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes. Blackthorn Racing Stunning Vantage GT3, giving it some at Spa 2026.

With the pictures we have from Blackthorn, this section should feel less like a result sheet and more like a glimpse into what it takes to race an Aston Martin through one of GT racing’s great 24-hour tests: the sunset, the night work, the weather, the setbacks, and finally the satisfaction of seeing the car reach the flag.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

Overall victory went to the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche, ahead of the #48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER and the #51 AF Corse Ferrari. Aston Martin’s best result was seventh with Walkenhorst, while Comtoyou’s #007 was left as the major “*what might have been*” and Blackthorn gave FTP a determined customer-racing story to follow to the flag.

For Aston Martin, Spa was not the trophy weekend it might have become.

But it still showed why the Vantage AMR GT3 Evo is now firmly embedded in the front line of international GT racing.

The #007 showed the pace. The #34 showed the strength. Blackthorn showed the endurance. Across one of the toughest GT races in the world, that gave Aston Martin a story well worth telling.

For readers who want to go deeper, the full Spa 24 Hours race report, race classification tables and current championship standings are available in the FTP Motorsport Hub. The Roundup gives the weekly Aston Martin picture, while the Hub carries the more detailed race-by-race record as the season develops.

Also this weekend: Blackthorn heads to the Hungaroring

Blackthorn Racing isn’t finished for the weekend either. While this Roundup has already looked back at Spa, the team is also in action in the International GT Open at the Hungaroring, giving us another Aston Martin racing thread to follow.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.

This one is especially worth keeping an eye on because **Aston Martin Racing junior Kobe Pauwels** is making his GT Open debut in the **#97 Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo**, sharing with **Charles Bateman**.

There’s also further Aston Martin interest through the #14 GoodSpeed Racing Aston Martin of Piotr Wira and Tomasz Magdziarz, who arrive after taking their first Am class win at Misano.

Race 1 has already taken place, with ZRS Motorsport’s Porsche winning overall, but we’ll wait for the full weekend picture before drawing too many conclusions. We’ll keep tabs on Race 2 on Sunday and update the FTP Motorsport Hub early next week with the relevant results, classifications and Aston Martin-specific notes.

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Watkins Glen: Aston Martin pace, Heart of Racing frustration and a debut podium for Car Blanche

From Spa, we move across to the United States, where Aston Martin’s competition weekend also carried a strong endurance thread at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

For The Heart of Racing, the #27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 had a race that promised more than the final result showed. Zacharie Robichon, Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello and Tom Gamble were firmly in the GTD fight, with the car starting from the front of the class, leading 62 laps and showing clear pace across the race.

The race coverage gave a useful sense of why the #27 looked so strong. Early on, Barrichello explained that the Aston was “very good through the corners”, even if it was struggling a little for straight-line speed, which made overtaking difficult at Watkins Glen. That became one of the themes of the day: the Vantage had pace, balance and grip, but track position was always going to be precious.

Through the middle phase of the race, the #27 looked like a real contender. Robichon was described as “hauling the mail”, with the commentators noting Heart of Racing’s strong Watkins Glen record and the Vantage looking “really, really strong” in GTD. Later, Barrichello had the #27 back at the head of the class as the race continued to swing through cautions, strategy calls and traffic.

But endurance racing rarely rewards pace alone.

The decisive moment for Heart of Racing came through timing rather than a lack of speed. With Barrichello one lap short of the team’s intended pit window, a full-course caution arrived at the wrong moment. That dropped the #27 out of position and left the team trying to recover ground in a race where passing was never straightforward.

The result was fifth in GTD. On paper, that could feel like a missed opportunity. In context, it still keeps the campaign moving. Heart of Racing had a car capable of leading, it banked another useful points finish, and the team remains firmly part of the wider GTD championship picture.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

As we covered last week, there was also another Aston Martin GTD story worth noting. The newly rebranded Car Blanche entry, formerly connected to the Van der Steur Racing operation, made a serious impression in its new form.

The team was described during the race as ambitious, committed to Aston Martin, and still retaining Aston Martin Racing support. With Valentin Hasse-Clot showing strong pace in the all-white #068 Vantage, Car Blanche went on to finish third in GTD, a podium on its first IMSA outing under the new name.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

The more difficult side of Watkins Glen came in GTP. The #23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie, driven by Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis, was caught up in a heavy incident under full-course yellow after De Angelis came out of the pits during the class split. As the cars climbed through the Esses, a line of GTD traffic had slowed ahead, with the #60 Acura also caught in the chain. De Angelis later explained that he came upon a “*wall of stopped cars*”, hit the brakes, spun, and went backwards into the Acura.

Thankfully, all the drivers involved were reported to be out of the cars under their own power.

For the Valkyrie programme, it was another deeply frustrating early finish. But it still needs to be viewed within the bigger picture. This remains a new, hugely complex top-class programme, competing against established prototype manufacturers with more recent experience and momentum in IMSA’s GTP field. The difficult weekends are part of the learning curve, even if they’re not the part anyone wants to keep seeing.

Watkins Glen therefore gave Aston Martin two very different stories: GT3 strength and championship relevance through Heart of Racing, a debut GTD podium for Car Blanche, and another hard lesson for the Valkyrie programme. The full race-by-race detail will sit better in the FTP Motorsport Hub, but for the Roundup, the picture is clear enough: Aston Martin had genuine GT pace at The Glen, even if the final headline result didn’t fully show it.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

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Formula One: Austria shows the gap, Silverstone sets the scene, Hungary carries the hope

After the grit of Spa and the mixed fortunes at Watkins Glen, Formula One brought Aston Martin back to a much harsher spotlight in Austria.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

The Austrian Grand Prix was another difficult weekend for Aston Martin Aramco, and probably one of the clearest examples yet of where the AMR26 currently sits. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll started from the back of the grid, with Alonso eventually finishing 18th and Stroll retiring with a suspected ERS issue. It was not the kind of result Aston Martin wanted before heading into its home race at Silverstone.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

The raw result tells part of the story, but not all of it. Alonso did find some positives in the weekend, particularly around deployment, drivability, Honda integration and gear shifting. That might sound modest, but for a team that has spent much of the season fighting problems before it can even chase performance, cleaner operation is still a step.
The issue is that those steps are happening while the rest of the field keeps moving.

That’s why Austria felt so sobering. Aston Martin wasn’t just out of the points; it was struggling at the very back of the field and, at times, behind the new Cadillac benchmark. For a team with Adrian Newey now in place, Honda works support, a new technology campus and major long-term ambition, the gap between the vision and the current performance remains uncomfortable.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

This weekend’s **British Grand Prix** adds another layer. Silverstone is Aston Martin’s home race, the team’s base is just down the road, and there will be no shortage of attention around the green cars. But expectations need to be realistic. Silverstone is not where the major change is due to arrive. The British GP should be viewed as another measure of the current package, not the big reset.

The more important checkpoint comes later this month at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Aston Martin is expected to introduce a major AMR26 upgrade on both cars.

Adrian Newey’s official UNDERCUT interview gave the clearest explanation yet of why the season has been so painful. He spoke openly about the late start to serious work on the 2026 car, the lack of proper pre-season running, the overweight chassis, the Honda integration and vibration issues, and the internal systems and processes that have needed urgent improvement.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

It was unusually candid, and probably needed to be. Newey explained that the team effectively lost valuable early running while trying to get the power unit, chassis and gearbox package working properly, and that some of the organisation’s systems had been patched and stretched for years. He also made clear that Aston Martin has chosen to focus effort on one significant upgrade rather than smaller race-by-race updates.

That approach is painful in the short term because it leaves the team exposed while rivals continue developing. But if the aim is to build the foundations properly, it may be the only sensible route. The Hungary package is expected to include revised aero surfaces, a new nose, weight reduction and some rear suspension changes, while keeping the same core chassis and gearbox architecture. In simple terms, it’s not a completely new car, but it should be the first serious sign of whether Aston Martin can move the AMR26 in the right direction.

To reflect that, the FTP home page now has a countdown clock running to the Hungarian Grand Prix, which is expected to be the first proper public test of the AMR26 upgrade. It’s not there because we expect one weekend to solve everything, but because Hungary now feels like the next meaningful checkpoint in Aston Martin’s 2026 season.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

There’s also the Alonso question.
Newey has spoken about wanting Fernando to stay, and Alonso has been clear that he wants to see progress. That doesn’t mean the Hungary upgrade has to turn Aston Martin into a front-running team overnight. But it does need to show that the team’s direction is working, that the correlation is improving, and that the painful first half of the season is leading somewhere.

British GP so far: Antonelli leads the way as Aston Martin remains at the back

As this Roundup goes live, the British Grand Prix weekend is already well underway, so it’s worth briefly catching up on the Silverstone picture before the full race report follows in the FTP Motorsport Hub next week.

The headlines so far belong to Kimi Antonelli. After Lewis Hamilton had given the home crowd a moment to enjoy by taking Sprint pole for Ferrari, edging Antonelli by just 0.011 seconds, the Mercedes driver turned the tables in the Sprint itself. Antonelli passed Hamilton on the Hangar Straight and went on to take victory, with Hamilton second and Lando Norris third.

Antonelli then carried that momentum into qualifying for the Grand Prix, taking pole position for Sunday’s race with a 1:28.111. Charles Leclerc qualified second for Ferrari, with Hamilton third and George Russell fourth, giving the front of the grid a very Mercedes/Ferrari feel before Sunday’s main event.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes. The AMR26 duo at the British GP Weekend, Silverstone 2026.

For **Aston Martin Aramco**, Silverstone has so far been another difficult home weekend. The team’s own Saturday update confirmed **Lance Stroll qualified P21** and **Fernando Alonso P22** for the Grand Prix, with Aston Martin acknowledging that the current package simply doesn’t have the pace it needs.

That follows a Sprint weekend in which Alonso and Stroll were again at the rear in Sprint Qualifying, leaving the team with very little immediate reward from its home race atmosphere.

So, while Silverstone has already produced a strong front-running story, Aston Martin’s weekend is again being viewed through the lens of damage limitation and learning. The British GP crowd may give the team a home backdrop, but the competitive reset is still expected to come later, with all eyes on the Hungary upgrade. Full Silverstone race coverage will follow in the FTP Motorsport Hub once Sunday’s Grand Prix is complete.

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For this Roundup, Austria tells us where Aston Martin currently is; Newey’s interview tells us why; Silverstone shows the team still under scrutiny; and Hungary is where the next real answer should begin to arrive.

F1 Rumour Watch: Horner, Silverstone and Aston Martin speculation

Alongside the confirmed technical story around Adrian Newey and the Hungary upgrade, the other Formula One thread gathering attention again this week has been the future of Christian Horner. We originally reported on Christian Horner and the possibility of him joining the Aston Martin Formula 1 Team way back in Issue 04 of the Weekly Roundup, where Lawrence Stroll made an announcement and confirmed that he would not be joining the team.

Image © Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Used for editorial purposes. 2023 F1 Season.

Recently, several outlets have linked the former Red Bull team principal with possible routes back into Formula One, including **Aston Martin**, **Alpine**, **Ferrari**, **BYD** and even a potential future twelfth team. The Aston Martin angle is easy to understand. Horner’s Red Bull record is formidable, and any move to Silverstone would create an obvious headline around a possible reunion with Adrian Newey. With Lawrence Stroll having invested heavily in facilities, people and the Honda works partnership, speculation around whether Aston Martin needs further proven race-team leadership was almost inevitable.

However, this remains firmly in the rumour category. GPblog reported that Aston Martin’s response to renewed Horner speculation was simply: “In line with our policy, we do not comment on rumors or speculation.” That’s the right line to keep in mind. There’s been no confirmed Aston Martin appointment, no official confirmation of talks, and no evidence that any leadership change has been agreed.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes.

The story has been given extra life by reports that Horner could return to the Formula One paddock at **Silverstone** as a guest, following the expiry of a restriction linked to his Red Bull departure. If he does appear at the British Grand Prix, the speculation will only grow louder. But an appearance in the paddock is not the same thing as a move to Aston Martin.
There’s also been wider context from **Bernie Ecclestone**, who said he had tried to encourage Horner to look at Ferrari after leaving Red Bull. Ecclestone also made the fair point that Horner’s next role will be difficult wherever it comes, because any future success or failure will be judged against his Red Bull years. That makes the decision more complicated than simply finding an empty chair at a team.

The strongest claims this week came from TheJudge13, which suggested Lawrence Stroll may want Adrian Newey moved away from the formal Team Principal role so he can concentrate on the technical recovery of the AMR26 project.

Image © Honda Motor Co. Ltd & Aston Martin Aramco. Used for editorial purposes. Adrian Newey. Australian GP 2026.

Aston Martin has not confirmed any such change, and Newey’s own UNDERCUT interview already gave a more measured picture of the current structure: Newey is focused heavily on engineering direction and factory work, while Mike Krack continues to handle much of the trackside and media-facing responsibility.

For FTP, the safest conclusion is simple. The Horner story is worth watching because it reflects the pressure around Aston Martin’s season and the scale of the project Lawrence Stroll is trying to build. But it shouldn’t overshadow the confirmed story. The real, measurable question for Aston Martin is not whose being linked in the paddock rumour mill, it’s whether the AMR26 upgrade due in Hungary can finally move the team away from the back of the grid.

Video Watch: Aston Martin ASCEND heads to Le Mans

Aston Martin also released a short but beautifully produced ASCEND | Road to Le Mans 2026 film this week, following the first ASCEND experience of the year through France’s Loire Valley before arriving at the world’s most famous endurance race.

At just under a minute, it’s more of an atmosphere piece than a documentary, but it lands at exactly the right time for FTP. With our new Featured Article, Aston Martin and Le Mans: The Long Road Back to Victory, going live this weekend, the film is a reminder that Le Mans is not only a race in Aston Martin’s world. It’s also a destination, an experience, a road trip, a heritage thread and a place that still carries enormous emotional weight for the marque.

For anyone who enjoys the more cinematic side of Aston Martin ownership, it’s well worth a quick watch;

Goodwood Festival of Speed: Aston Martin takes the S family to the hill

Away from the race weekends, Aston Martin’s road-car story now turns towards Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs from 9th - 12th July 2026.

Aston Martin has confirmed a strong line-up for the event, led by the new DB12 S, Vantage S and DBX S. That gives Goodwood a clear theme for the marque this year: the modern S badge is no longer a single-model flourish, but a family strategy stretching across the sports car, Super Tourer and SUV ranges.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

For FTP readers, this links directly to our recent Featured Article looking at the Aston Martin **S question**: what the badge means today, how it’s evolved, and whether the added sharpness, theatre and cost make sense. Goodwood now gives Aston Martin the perfect public stage to show that strategy in motion.

We’ve covered the detailed specification of all three models in previous editions of the Weekly Roundup and in the Featured Article we’ve just referred too, so rather than revisit every technical detail again, the key point for this week is that Aston Martin is now using the S badge as a clear performance layer across the range: sharper, more dramatic and more emotionally charged than the standard models beneath them.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Aston Martin Valkyrie at Goodwood FOS 2025.

Goodwood will not just be about the S models. Aston Martin has also confirmed appearances for **Valkyrie**, **Valhalla**, **Vanquish** and the **AMR25 Formula One car**, with **Jak Crawford** and **Jessica Hawkins** set to make their Goodwood debuts in a Formula One car.

That gives the brand a broad display of past, present and future performance: road cars, hybrid supercar technology, hypercar theatre and F1 spectacle all in one place. The Festival of Speed has always suited Aston Martin because it allows the cars to be seen, heard and felt rather than simply announced. For the S family, that’s especially useful. These cars are not only about extra power figures, they’re about character: sharper response, more sound, more presence and a stronger sense of occasion. Goodwood is exactly the kind of stage where that message can land properly.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Goodwood FOS 2025.

I attended the **Goodwood Festival of Speed** last year and made a video from the day, which I’ll link here for anyone who wants to see the event through the FTP lens. It was a superb occasion, as Goodwood always is, but it also felt incredibly crowded, more so than I’d experienced before. Waiting around 20 minutes simply to cross a footbridge from one side of the track to the other, rather summed it up for me. If you haven’t seen that video, I’ve included it below;

There was also another, more unexpected reflection from watching the Aston Martins run up the hill. Although it was still special to see them in motion, I couldn’t help feeling slightly disappointed by how quiet many of the cars sounded as they passed. The Valkyrie was the exception, bringing a little more drama and presence, but the day still underlined how much modern performance cars have changed. That’s not a criticism of Aston Martin or any manufacturer in particular; regulations, emissions requirements and the wider direction of the industry have all played their part.

For anyone who watches the video, listen as well as look. Goodwood remains spectacular, but it also offers a glimpse of where performance motoring is heading. In years to come, more of the cars flying up the hill may arrive with a whoosh, a buzz or near silence rather than the mechanical theatre many of us grew up loving. In some ways, the Festival of Speed already feels like it’s gently preparing us for that future.

Road-car media watch: DB12 S meets Bentley GT Speed

Staying with the new S family, one of the more interesting road-car videos this week came from Autotrader, which put the Aston Martin DB12 S up against the Bentley Continental GT Speed.

On paper, both cars occupy that rare space where luxury, performance and British identity overlap. In reality, they go about it in very different ways. The Bentley is now a deeply complex plug-in hybrid grand tourer, with a twin-turbo V8, electric assistance, all-wheel-drive traction and the kind of interior comfort that makes it feel more like a high-speed private members’ club than a sports car. The Aston takes a more traditional route: front-engined, rear-driven, sharper in character and more obviously focused on drama. I’ve included the video below, of you would like to watch it;

That contrast is what made the video useful. It wasn’t simply a numbers comparison. It showed two different answers to the same question: what should a modern British grand tourer be? The Bentley feels like the future arriving through comfort, technology and hybrid muscle. The Aston feels more like the old spirit sharpened for the present day; still emotional, still theatrical and still trying to make the driver feel central to the experience.

From an FTP perspective, the DB12 S probably wins the heart more easily.

It looks more sporting, sounds more purposeful and appears to carry that Aston Martin sense of occasion more naturally.

The Bentley, though, makes a strong case for itself as the long-distance, all-weather, everyday grand tourer. In wet conditions especially, its all-wheel-drive security and more relaxed character clearly have appeal.

The viewer reaction was interesting too. Many comments leaned strongly towards the Aston for its shape, presence and emotional pull, while Bentley supporters praised the interior, refinement and usability. There was also some pushback against the video’s wider “Britishness” theme, with viewers pointing out Aston Martin’s Mercedes-AMG-sourced V8 and Bentley’s Volkswagen Group ownership. That’s a fair modern complication. These cars may wear famous British badges, but their engineering and ownership stories are now far more international than the badges alone suggest.

For me, the most useful takeaway was not that one car “wins” and the other loses, it was that both cars show different survival strategies for the modern grand tourer. Bentley is adapting through electrification, weight, luxury and usability. Aston Martin is leaning harder into emotion, response and theatre. For many FTP readers, that second path will always feel more seductive, but the Bentley shows why the head can still argue back.

Business Watch: The Americas get new leadership as AML shares remain under pressure

Away from the product launches and race weekends, Aston Martin also made a significant commercial appointment this week, confirming Andreas Bareis as President and CEO of Aston Martin The Americas, effective 1st July 2026. It’s not the most glamorous story in the Roundup, but it’s a useful reminder that Aston Martin’s recovery is not just about new cars, Formula One ambition or special projects. It’s also about retail execution, dealer performance and customer experience in the regions where the cars actually have to sell.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

Bareis is not new to Aston Martin. He joined the company in 2022 after senior roles at **Mercedes-Benz**, **Lotus** and **McLaren Automotive**, and Aston Martin says that, during his time as Regional President for Europe, the region achieved more than **30% wholesale growth in 2023**.

In 2025 he became Global Commercial Director, during a busy period of new product introductions and first customer deliveries for models including Valhalla. In his new role, he reports to Chief Commercial Officer Andrea Baldi and takes responsibility for commercial operations across the Americas, traditionally Aston Martin’s largest sales region by volume.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

For FTP readers, the point is simple enough. Aston Martin now has a very strong product story to tell: the S family, Vanquish, Valhalla, DBX, Valkyrie and a refreshed luxury-performance range. But product only becomes progress if the retail network, customer experience and regional execution are strong enough to convert interest into orders and long-term loyalty.
The Americas is a key part of that equation, so this appointment deserves a place in the weekly picture.

AML Share Watch: Five Weeks of Pressure Before H1 Results

That leads neatly into our monthly AML share-price watch, which returns because this is the first Roundup of the month. As usual, this is not financial advice, and it’s not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold shares. It’s simply a way of keeping track of how the public market is reading Aston Martin Lagonda’s wider story.

At the time of drafting, the latest available market data showed AML closing at 38.50p on Friday 3rd July, compared with 44.46p on Friday 29th May. Over that period, the highest close shown was 48.52p on 28th May, while the lowest close was 37.00p on 26th June. There was a small recovery from that late-June low into the start of July, but Friday’s close still leaves the five-week movement negative and in line with the pressure we’ve been tracking for several months.

The share price never tells the full Aston Martin story, and it certainly doesn’t capture the passion owners feel for the cars.

But it does show the market still wants evidence: cleaner execution, stronger demand, disciplined costs, progress on profitability and confidence that the product cycle can translate into financial stability. The brand may have plenty of emotional energy around it, especially with Goodwood approaching, but the business still has to prove that excitement can be turned into numbers.

The next important checkpoint comes later this month, with Aston Martin Lagonda due to publish its H1 2026 Results. Aston Martin’s own investor calendar lists H1 2026 Results as the next upcoming event, so we’ll analyse those in detail as usual on FTP. They should give a clearer view of whether the product cycle, Valhalla deliveries, cost discipline and wider transformation work are starting to move the numbers in the right direction. After several difficult updates, hopefully there will be evidence of improvement and a more positive story beginning to form.

Market Watch: Bertone Jet 2+2 tops the Wilton auction

From Goodwood and the current road-car range, we move to a very different kind of Aston Martin: rare, coachbuilt, slightly eccentric and all the more interesting for it.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The one-off **Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2.**

The one-off Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2 topped the inaugural Dore & Rees Concours des Légendes auction at Wilton House, selling for £297,440 including premium. The personalised JET 2 registration was sold separately for £100,000, which gives a useful little glimpse into how much identity and story can add around a car like this.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The one-off **Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2.**

The Bertone Jet 2+2 is not a conventional Aston Martin collector car, and that’s exactly why it’s worth pausing on. Based on the **Rapide**, it was created as a coachbuilt shooting brake-style one-off, commissioned by Aston Martin collector **Barry Weir** to mark Aston Martin’s centenary and celebrate the marque’s relationship with **Bertone**. It was unveiled at the **2013 Geneva Motor Show**, with hopes at one stage that it might lead to a small production run.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The **Bertone Badge on the Aston Martin Jet 2+2.**

That production run never happened. Bertone’s closure in 2014 meant the Jet 2+2 effectively became a final flourish rather than the start of a new chapter. That gives the car a slightly bittersweet place in Aston Martin history: part Rapide, part coachbuilt curiosity, part centenary celebration and part end-of-era Bertone story.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The one-off **Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2 at Wilton House.**

I saw the car in person at **Concours des Légendes** and filmed it during the event, so this result has a nice FTP connection too. That video will be coming after the Alnwick Castle AMOC Spring Concours video. Wilton House was a superb setting, with the house, grounds and cars combining to create a very special atmosphere.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The interior of the one-off **Aston Martin Bertone Jet 2+2.**

It was the second time I’ve seen this car. I saw it on display at the Classic Car Show at the Birmingham NEC within the last couple of years. The Jet 2+2 stood out because it was not trying to be the most obvious Aston Martin in the field. It was unusual, elegant in its own way, and full of the sort of detail that rewards a second look.

The result also says something about today’s Aston Martin market. It was a strong sale for a unique coachbuilt car, but not an outrageous number when compared with the wider world of rare Zagatos, continuation models, low-volume specials and historic Aston Martins. The market remains selective, but it still responds when rarity, provenance, design and a proper story come together.

For FTP, this is exactly the kind of market story worth including, not just because of the price, but because the Bertone Jet 2+2 reminds us that Aston Martin’s appeal has never been limited to production numbers and performance figures. Sometimes the fascination sits in the margins: the one-off commission, the coachbuilder’s final chapter, the unusual silhouette and the sense that someone wanted an Aston Martin no one else could have.

FTP Car of the Week: 2004 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato

After the Bertone Jet 2+2, it feels natural to stay with the coachbuilt side of Aston Martin for this week’s FTP Car of the Week.

Image © Fuel the Passion. 2004 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato

The car we’ve chosen is a 2004 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato, currently listed with McGurk Performance Cars at £179,850. Finished in Ferrari Grigio Titanium over Royal Blue leather, it’s car number 65 of 99 and is described by McGurk as a unique 1-of-1 specification.

The DB7 Zagato has always occupied a fascinating place in modern Aston Martin history. It arrived towards the end of the DB7 era and took the familiar ingredients of the DB7 GT, including the 5.9-litre V12, 440bhp output and six-speed manual gearbox then wrapped them in something far more dramatic. Zagato’s distinctive double-bubble roof, short-tail proportions, large front grille aperture, sculpted rear window, single round rear lights and bespoke five-spoke wheels gave the car a personality all of its own.

Image © Fuel the Passion. 2004 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato.

It’s also one of those cars that looks more interesting with time. When new, the DB7 Zagato was bold, perhaps even slightly challenging to some eyes. Today, it feels increasingly like one of the last truly analogue modern coachbuilt Astons: front-engined, V12-powered, manual, limited-numbered and visually unmistakable. In a world of ever more complex performance cars, that combination has become very appealing.

This particular car was first registered on 1st April 2004, sold new by Aston Martin Sevenoaks, where I bought and collected my own FTP Vantage.The DB7 Zagato is said to come with a full Aston Martin service history, with a major service carried out by McGurk in October 2024. The specification also includes details such as silver brake calipers, quilted Aniline leather, car cover, seat covers and a battery conditioner.

Image © Fuel the Passion. The interior of the 2004 Aston Martin DB7 Zagato.

At nearly **£180,000**, this is clearly a serious purchase, not a casual weekend toy. But within the wider Aston Martin collector world, it sits in an interesting space. It’s far more exclusive than a standard DB7, more usable and less financially extreme than many of the later ultra-limited Zagato specials, and it offers the kind of old-school V12 manual experience that is only becoming rarer.

As always, this is not buying advice, and any car at this level would need careful due diligence, history checks and a proper independent inspection. But as an enthusiast’s object, the DB7 Zagato has a strong story: limited production, Zagato design, manual V12 character and a specification that makes this example stand apart even within a very small group.

For me, that’s exactly what a good FTP Car of the Week should be, not just expensive or rare, but a car with a thread running through Aston Martin history, design and character.

No Q Branch Submarine Mode Here

From a rare DB7 Zagato to a very different kind of Aston Martin story, and one that probably had a less happy ending.

A video was doing the rounds this week on social media, showing a modern Aston Martin Vantage entering a flooded ford and coming to a halt in the water. Perhaps, for one brief moment, it was trying to channel James Bond’s famous Lotus Esprit S1 from The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, the one that disappeared into the sea and calmly transformed into a submarine.

Unfortunately, this Vantage didn’t appear to have the same Q Branch upgrade package.

Joking aside, it’s the sort of clip that makes any performance-car owner wince. A Vantage may be fast, dramatic and beautifully engineered, but it’s not a Defender, and it’s certainly not a Bond submarine. When the road turns into a river, the safest and cheapest decision is usually to turn around.

Of course, we should not diagnose the specific car from a short video clip. But in general terms, deep water can be very bad news for a modern performance car. The obvious fear is water ingestion, which can lead to serious engine damage if water reaches the intake. Then there are the less dramatic but still expensive possibilities: wet sensors, wiring connectors, control modules, wheel bearings, brakes, undertrays, exhaust components and interior trim if water gets inside.

There’s also the insurance and warranty side, which can become complicated very quickly. Even if a car starts again, water damage can sometimes reveal itself later rather than immediately.

I’ll be honest, I’m still slightly lost for words. This didn’t look like a questionable puddle or one of those “should I, shouldn’t I?” moments. It looked like a proper flooded ford -the sort of place where most Aston Martin owners would gently select reverse, pretend they had simply stopped to admire the view, and find another route. Hopefully the car is recoverable and the damage is less serious than it first appears, but seeing a modern Vantage sitting helplessly in deep water is a painful watch.

Watch the clip:

Aston Martin Owners Club (AMOC) and community: Bowood, club momentum and a packed events calendar

Image © Aston Martin Owners Club (AMOC). Used for editorial purposes.

The Aston Martin community story this week comes mainly through **AMOC**, and the July edition of **AM Monthly** gave a useful sense of where the Club is heading.
One of the headline diary dates is the **AMOC Autumn Weekend at Bowood Estate**, taking place over **Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September 2026**. The weekend will centre on **Bowood House** in Wiltshire, home of the Earl and Countess of Kerry and the Lansdowne family, set within thousands of acres of parkland shaped by **Lancelot “Capability” Brown**. Saturday includes a drive-out, Champagne reception and dinner, while Sunday brings the **Concours and Specialist Display**, along with general Aston Martin parking in the Bowood House grounds.
It sounds like exactly the kind of AMOC weekend that works well: a proper setting, a mix of driving, social time and concours, and enough structure to feel special without losing the relaxed club atmosphere. The Autumn Weekend website is due to go live on **Tuesday 14th July**, so anyone interested should keep an eye on AMOC communications.

The wider July AM Monthly also points to a Club that is not standing still. Deborah Tyler-Curtis, AMOC’s Sponsorship, Marketing and External Relations Director, wrote about the Club’s ongoing work with partners and sponsors, including Lockton Performance, RM Sotheby’s, Pommery, Fairline Yachts, Michelin and Cambridge & Counties Bank. More importantly for many members, she also highlighted the improving relationship between AMOC and Aston Martin Lagonda, following the licence agreement and the shared work around the Club’s refreshed branding.

That relationship between AMOC and Aston Martin is worth watching because it benefits both sides when handled well.

The Club brings history, loyalty, owners, volunteers and a global enthusiast network. Aston Martin brings brand support, access, visibility and the ability to help the Club feel more closely connected to the marque it represents. The Spring Concours at Alnwick Castle sounded like a good example of that working in practice, with Aston Martin Newcastle bringing Valhalla, the Aston Martin Heritage Trust displaying the Vanquish cutaway, and representatives from Aston Martin’s headquarters attending.

There was also useful governance and future-planning detail from the Management Committee notes. AMOC’s global membership was listed at just under 8,800, with a medium-term target of 10,000 members.

If you’re interested in joining, just click on the image below and we’ll take you straight there.

The Club is also looking at global support for international events, membership structures, annual awards and future International Weekend planning following the success of Austria 2025.

For members, the events calendar remains busy. Alongside Bowood, upcoming highlights include Simply Aston Martin at Beaulieu on 23rd August, Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace from 2nd - 6th September, Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace from 4th - 6th September, the AMOC Charity Challenge at Goodwood on 11th September, the St John Horsfall Race at Silverstone, the Annual Dinner at the Royal Automobile Club, and plenty of UK and international regional activity.

For FTP, this is the part of Aston Martin ownership that rarely appears in product launches or financial updates, but it’s often what makes ownership richer. The cars may be the reason people first arrive, but the drives, events, concours lawns, friendships and shared stories are what keep many owners connected.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Alnwick Castle, AMOC Concours 2026

I like to think that, in our own small way, **Fuel the Passion** also helps promote and support the wider Aston Martin world - **Aston Martin Lagonda**, **AMOC** and the **Aston Martin Heritage Trust**. It’s a brand, an owners’ club and a heritage trust I absolutely adore, and part of FTP’s purpose is to help share that passion with others.

AMOC’s challenge now is to protect its traditional club spirit while continuing to modernise, grow internationally and build an even stronger working relationship with Aston Martin itself.

FTP Update: London, history and the continuing Vanquish wait

A quick FTP update from me this week, and I’ll start with the ongoing Vanquish situation. There is still no final decision from Aston Martin on approval to release the remaining Vanquish film I recorded at Aston Martin Works. It’s a shame, and a little confusing given that the trailer was approved, but hopefully a decision will come. For now, despite chasing, we are still waiting.

As mentioned last week, updates this week on our website, were a little delayed because I spent part of the week in London with my son for a university function. I returned on Thursday and quickly updated the relevant motorsport sections from last weekend, including Watkins Glen, Spa and Austria.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Inside St Paul’s Cathedral. June 2026.

While in London, I also managed to visit **St Paul’s Cathedral**, somewhere I’ve wanted to see inside for a long time. Don’t worry, I won’t use this Weekly update to become my own personal travel blog.
St Paul’s Cathedral has no direct Aston Martin link, but standing inside it did remind me of something I’ve felt several times this year around the marque. You notice the scale first, but it’s the detail that stays with you: the decoration, the artwork, the definition and the sense that people cared deeply about what they were creating.
That feeling took me back to the time I spent earlier this year with Aston Martin technicians at **Aston Martin Works**, while filming the Vanquish episode you’re still yet to see. What came through so strongly was their pride in the cars, their knowledge, and the affection they clearly have for the work. Whether it’s the decoration inside St Paul’s or the careful restoration, inspection and preparation of an Aston Martin, there’s something very powerful about craftsmanship when it’s carried out by people who genuinely care.
Stone, glass and paintwork are very different from leather, aluminium and carbon fibre, but the emotion comes from a similar place: detail, skill, patience and pride.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Inside the Churchill War Rooms, London, June 2026.

The second place I’d always wanted to visit was the **Churchill War Rooms**. What an interesting place, and, in parts, almost frozen in time from the moment it was sealed after the Second World War. That naturally prompted a small Aston Martin thought.

During the war, Aston Martin was not building sports cars in the way enthusiasts might imagine. Under the Sutherland family’s ownership, the company turned its attention to war-related production, including aircraft components and engineering work. After the war, Gordon Sutherland eventually decided to sell the company, leading to David Brown’s purchase of Aston Martin in 1947 and the beginning of the DB era.

Image © Fuel the Passion. Aston Martin London New Showroom under construction. June 2026.

I also took a slight detour to **Berkeley Square** to find Aston Martin’s new London showroom, which the marque has been teasing on social media. It sits on a very serious stretch of Mayfair real estate, close to Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini, with Bugatti just around the corner.

From the outside, the Aston Martin site was still hidden behind large Aston Martin Racing Green-style wooden boarding and looked a while off completion. It wasn’t quite as large as I’d imagined from the street, although the interior space may tell a different story once finished.

Either way, it’s a premium address and one that should suit the future display of Aston Martin’s S family, Valhalla and whatever comes next.

One day, I’ll hopefully attend the finished showroom properly.

Although I didn’t have time to complete a full new video this week, I was conscious that the short trailer for the next FTP film was originally tucked away at the end of the AMOC Speed Championship at Aintree video. I appreciate that the Speed Championship will not be for everyone, so many viewers may never get to the end of that film and see what’s coming next.

With that in mind, I’ve made the trailer available as a standalone video. The next release on the channel will be the AMOC Spring Concours at Alnwick Castle, and the scenes from the castle grounds are simply stunning. Hopefully the trailer gives a small taste of what’s on the way. If you haven’t yet had the chance to see it, I’ve included it below;

Image © Fuel the Passion. RAC Concours 2025.

Next week I’m heading back south for the **RAC Concours at Woodcote Park, Epsom**, taking my Dad with me. This year I’ve decided not to approach it as a full filming day, but instead to enjoy the event properly with him and take in the cars, setting and atmosphere at a gentler pace. I’ll still have a camera with me, of course, and if there are Aston Martins on display, I’ll capture some footage and photographs to share where I can.

For anyone who wants a flavour of the event, last year’s FTP film from the very first RAC Concours is still on the channel. It features a wonderful mix of rare classics, Aston Martins, Bentleys, Ferraris and more, including the remarkable 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB associated with Sir Stirling Moss, a car described in the film as possibly one of the most valuable in the world. It was a superb setting and a lovely event, and I’m very pleased to see the Concours return for 2026.

Between filming, editing, travelling, family time and all the motorsport to follow, the only real question is: where do we find the time?

Closing Reflection

That brings us to the end of another busy Aston Martin week, and this one has covered a lot of ground: Spa at sunset, Watkins Glen endurance drama, another difficult Formula One weekend, Goodwood anticipation, market curiosity, AMOC momentum and a few personal FTP moments from London.

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes. Blackthorn Racing Vantage GT3 at Spa 2026 - Amazing sunset, what an image!

Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes. Blackthorn Racing Vantage GT3 at Spa 2026.

The racing picture still feels like a story of contrasts. In GT3, the **Vantage AMR GT3 EVO** continues to look competitive, dependable and well represented across major championships. Blackthorn bringing the car home at Spa, Heart of Racing staying in the IMSA GTD championship fight, and Walkenhorst finishing strongly inside the Spa top ten all add to that broader picture.

In Formula One, the story remains harder. Austria showed the scale of the current challenge, Silverstone gives Aston Martin its home stage, and Hungary now carries the next real technical checkpoint for the AMR26.

Away from the circuits, Aston Martin’s road-car world feels more confident. The S family heading to Goodwood gives the brand a clear performance message, while cars such as the Bertone Jet 2+2 and this week’s DB7 Zagato remind us that Aston Martin’s appeal has always had a coachbuilt, individualistic thread running through it. The marque is at its best when it combines beauty, rarity, engineering and a sense of occasion.

Image © Aston Martin Lagonda. Used for editorial purposes.

Next week, attention turns to **Goodwood Festival of Speed**, the British Grand Prix fallout, the continued countdown to Hungary, and the **RAC Concours at Woodcote Park**. We will also keep watching for any update on the Aston Martin Works Vanquish film approval and, later this month, Aston Martin Lagonda’s **H1 2026 Results**, which should give us the next proper financial checkpoint.

As always, thank you for reading, watching and supporting Fuel the Passion. Whether you’re here for the road cars, the racing, the history, the owners’ club stories or simply the shared love of Aston Martin, it’s hugely appreciated.👍

Until next week, see you on the next one! 👆

Kind regards,

Dan
Fuel the Passion
Where every mile tells a story.

Join the conversation 💬

There are a few questions coming out of this week’s Roundup, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please respond to one, two or all four if you like. I read every comment and reply to everyone;👇

1. With Aston Martin Aramco’s major AMR26 upgrade expected in Hungary, what would count as real progress for you; points, better reliability, closer pace to the midfield, or simply signs that the team now understands its car?

2. As Aston Martin pushes the DB12 S, Vantage S and DBX S together as a modern performance family, do you see the S badge as a genuine step forward, or would you still choose the standard model?

3. As modern performance cars become quieter through regulation and electrification, how important is sound to the Aston Martin experience for you?

4. For Aston Martin owners, what adds more to the experience: the car itself, or the community, events and shared stories that come with ownership?

I’d genuinely love to hear what you think, please leave some thoughts about these or anything else below.👇

Still fancy a little more Aston Martin reading?

If you’ve reached the end of this week’s Roundup and still fancy exploring a little further, there’s plenty more to enjoy across the Fuel the Passion website.

You can head over to the FTP Motorsport Hub, where we’re continuing to build detailed race reports, result tables, classification updates and championship standings for Aston Martin’s racing programmes across the season.

There’s also the new FTP Aston Martin Buyers Guide section, which has now gone live with the first three guides: DB9, VH-generation V8 Vantage and DB11. More models will be added over time, with each guide designed to offer honest, enthusiast-focused guidance for anyone researching or dreaming about their next Aston Martin.

If you missed it earlier, our latest FTP Featured Article is now live too: Aston Martin and Le Mans: The Long Road Back to Victory. It looks at why Le Mans still means so much to Aston Martin, why the 1959 DBR1 victory remains the emotional benchmark, and why the modern Valkyrie Hypercar programme is such an important chapter in the story.

I’ll include the links below, so feel free to make yourself a coffee, settle in, and keep exploring.