Aston Martin just had its ‘best ever’ Le Mans

Le Mans doesn’t just have one winner. While Toyota won its third consecutive LMP1 title, Aston Martin took both GTE class wins at this weekend’s COVID-delayed LM24, its “best ever result at the Circuit de la Sarthe”.

The #97 Vantage GTE driven by Alex Lynn, Maxime Martin and Harry Tincknell finished just over 90 seconds ahead of the #51 Ferrari to win GTE Pro (its first GTE Pro win since 2017).

Meanwhile the #95 Aston of Nicki Thiim, Marco Sørensen and Richard Westbrook finished third, giving Aston enough points to win its first WEC manufacturers’ title with a round (Bahrain) to spare.

The #71 Ferrari of Davide Rigon, Miguel Molina and Sam Bird was on for fourth place until its gearbox failed on the final lap. The Porsches, which both had power steering problems, finished fifth and sixth.

Privateer TF Sport won GTE Am with its Vantage, and drivers Jonny Adam, Charlie Eastwood and Salih Yoluç, ahead of the #77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911.

Aston Martin’s first win at Le Mans famously came in 1959, when the DBR1 of Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori headed a one-two finish. It would be almost 50 years before Aston won Le Mans again, with the DBR9 in 2007.