Le Mans

Excitement levels are building for the second season of the Jaguar Classic Challenge as the Le Mans Classic is confirmed for inclusion in the all-new race calendar for 2016. The Le Mans Classic will be one of the major highlights of the forthcoming season that will see a diverse field of pre-1966 Jaguars going wheel-to-wheel in the competitive single-marque series. Jaguar has a long and successful history at Le Mans, with the marque first winning there back in 1951 with Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead driving the C-type – affectionately known as XKC 003.

RM Sotheby’s is delighted to announce the inclusion of a delightful 1934 MG PA/B, chassis PA/1711, which showcased female driving talent at the 1935 Le Mans 24 hour race, at its annual London sale, 7 September at Battersea Evolution. Representing an important part of British pre-war motorsport heritage, the diminutive 948 cc four-cylinder MG is one of approximately 75 automobiles slated for the central London auction. Chassis PA/1711 was raced as number 56 in the 1935 version of the legendary endurance competition, where it was driven exclusively by well-known female racers of the period as part of a high-profile three car Works team. The trio of identical cars was managed by Captain George Eyston, himself a veteran of the 1928 and 1929 Le Mans races and a holder of the word land speed record. The group was unfairly dubbed by […]

Aston Martin Racing has qualified on pole in both GT classes of the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with its #99 and #98 V8 Vantage GTEs. It might have been his first time racing at the world-famous Circuit de la Sarthe, but Le Mans ‘rookie’ Richie Stanaway (NZ) was quick to impress, posting the fastest lap and putting the #99 on pole. “That was the start we were looking for, but there’s still a lot of work to do to win the race,” commented Stanaway. “The car feels great and we’re all on top form so we just need to bring it all together on Saturday.” But it wasn’t only Stanaway who took pole position for Saturday’s 24-hour endurance event. In the GTE Am class, Pedro Lamy (PT) set the fastest time in the #98 Vantage GTE and will […]

Aston Martin Racing has unveiled a 24 Hours of Le Mans art car designed by artist Tobias Rehberger. The unique creation gives the Gulf #97 Vantage GTE the illusion of movement and speed, even when static. Rehberger is renowned for his abstract art and optical effects that distort perception and has received numerous international prizes and awards, including the Golden Lion for best artist at the 2009 Venice Biennale. Aston Martin Racing invited him to design a livery that would work with the Gulf Vantage GTE’s lines and colours in a way never attempted before. Thirty years since the first art car ran in the 24-hour race, Rehberger set out to create a design that uses geometric shapes and patterns to give the car, when static, the impression of movement and speed. The German artist, who will attend Saturday’s race […]

Legendary cars from Bentley’s past are embarking on a tour of the world’s premier heritage and historical automotive events this summer. The ‘Blue Train’ car that famously raced the Calais-Mediterranée Express and the Team Blower that entered Le Mans in 1930 – the race ultimately won by Bentley Boys Woolf Barnato and Glen Kidston in Speed 6 ‘Old No 1’ – are among the highlights of Bentley’s curated or treasured collection. Both are celebrating anniversaries and will be on the road at numerous international events between May and October. ‘Blue Train’ Bentley This year is the 85th anniversary of that most famous Bentley Boy adventure – the Blue Train race. The car that (probably) accomplished the feat will be touring Europe with a series of high-profile appearances. In 1930 Captain Woolf Barnato, Chairman of Bentley Motors, was staying in Cannes […]

British sports and luxury car manufacturer Jaguar has assembled a team of high profile stars from the worlds of music, entertainment, fashion, design and motorsport as it prepares to compete in the legendary Mille Miglia celebratory tour from 14-17 May this year in Italy. The exciting line-up of drivers for the Jaguar Heritage Mille Miglia team features household names including Example (aka Elliot Gleave), David Gandy, Jodie Kidd, James Martin and Charley Boorman. The Jaguar Heritage team will cover more than 1,000 miles from Brescia-Rome-Brescia in nine of the marque’s most celebrated models. These iconic Jaguar cars will be put through their paces on the gruelling route, which takes place over four punishing but unforgettable days starting in Brescia, heading to Rimini, Rome, Parma and then back to Brescia. Crowds lining the Mille Miglia route will get to see examples […]

Ultima Sports has revealed its latest sports car, the Evolution. Available in both coupé and convertible forms, the newest Ultima offers up to 1020bhp in its most powerful form. British based Ultima has been selling its GT-R and Can Am models in both kit and pre-built forms for over 15 years. The £95,995 Evolution has more horse power than the Bugatti Veyron at less than a tenth of the price. It also weighs in at half as much. Oh my. This means the Evolution will go from 0 to 100-0mph in 8.8 seconds. That is about a second quicker than the Bugatti. And remember, at a tenth of the cost.   Acting as a replacement for the GTR and Can-Am models, the Evolution is already on sale with the first customer deliverie sof the supercar planned for September While keeping Ultima’s […]

Via Aston Martin, Gaydon: Aston Martin is announcing its largest and most ambitious works race programme to date, comprising a five-car campaign in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and 24 Hours of Le Mans, and two GT3 entries in the Nürburgring 24 Hours. In its eleventh year of competition Aston Martin Racing returns to the WEC with three Vantage GTEs in the GTE Pro class and two cars in the GTE Am class. Looking to add to its impressive tally of 19 race wins and three championship titles, the team aims to claim the coveted GT manufacturer’s title, as well as both GT titles at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Meanwhile, in its third year competing at the Nürburgring in the world-famous endurance race’s top SP9 class for GT3 cars Aston Martin Racing is doubling its entry, underlining […]

Introducing the Aston Martin Vulcan – a track-only supercar and the British luxury brand’s most intense and exhilarating creation to date. Born out of extensive motorsport experience – and using the brand’s acknowledged flair for design and engineering ingenuity – the 800-plus bhp, all-carbon fibre Aston Martin Vulcan promises truly extreme performance. Uniquely for Aston Martin the new supercar – limited to just 24 examples worldwide – will allow owners the opportunity to precisely tailor their track day experience through a graduating scale of detailed power and dynamic performance adjustments. CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said: “Aston Martin Vulcan is, by its very nature, a rare and thrilling supercar. Designed and engineered to deliver a genuinely bespoke driving experience that draws on our rich heritage, this car tailors its power and handling to both the capabilities of the driver and the […]

Planet LeMans is reporting that boosted by a new driver and a major sponsor, Team RLR will enter the 6 Hours of Silverstone determined to impress in front of a home crowd at the penultimate round of the 2011 Le Mans Series next weekend (September 9-11). The mid-season break proved to be a productive one for the Lancashire-based squad as it added former Le Mans 24 Hours winner Warren Hughes to its line-up alongside regular drivers Barry Gates and Rob Garofall, and also confirmed famous British car brand MG Motor UK as an official sponsor. Read the complete story over at Planet LeMans.

Racing legend Sir Stirling Moss OBE has retired from racing, closing the door on a competitive racing career that has spanned more than 60 years. During qualifying for the Le Mans Legends race at the wheel of his Porsche RS 61, Moss made the decision to retire from the sport he loves. On his retirement Stirling said, “This afternoon I scared myself and I have always said that if I felt I was not up to it or that I was getting in the way of fellow competitors, then I would retire.” Moss leaves motor racing as one of the most recognised racing drivers in the world, having raced from the age of 18, winning the British Grand Prix twice, the Monaco Grand Prix three times, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio and the Tourist Trophy, as well as countless […]

Rocketsports Racing (RSR) is scheduled to debut the Jaguar XKR GT2, the newest entry in the American Le Mans Series, at the famed Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta this week. In preparation for a full championship effort in 2010, the team plans to enter the last two events on the 2009 ALMS schedule using the track time for testing and development. The car is currently undergoing extensive system tests at RSR’s East Lansing, Michigan facility and is being prepared for a performance evaluation and shakedown prior to Road Atlanta. The team will be hosting a press conference on Thursday, September 24 at Road Atlanta to officially unveil the car and drivers for 2009, and tire partners. RSR will face a flurry of competition in GT2 from the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Corvette and others. Fourteen GT2 machines are […]

Entries Invited for Le Mans Celebration Race to commemorate 1959 MG Car Club Entry he MG Car Club is inviting entries for a Le Mans Celebration race at Oulton Park on May 9th 2009. Entries are for cars of a type and in a form that were raced up to 1965 – including prewar. All cars should be to FIA spec and on road tyres or “L” sections. The Le Mans Celebration Race is by invitation but if you wish to receive an application call Steve Carr at the MG Car Club Office on 01235 555552. The race coincides with the publication of a book which records the MGCC North West Centres entries at Le Mans in 1959, 1960 1961. These were disguised Works entries after the MG Car company withdrew from Le Mans following the 1955 accident. The occasion […]