When you think Aston Martin, you often combine the British car manufacturer with breathtaking, luxurious continent crossing long-distance V12 GT cars or with the glamorous world of James Bond. For decades before Sean Connerys DB5 ever hit the big screen, the brand forged its history through motorsport.
The company can go back to Aston Clinton Hill-Climb in Buckinghamshire, England. Over a century ago, the founder of the brand, Lionel Martin, and his business partner Robert Bamford were regular guests in the Hillclimb scene with their light racing machines. At this venue, the couple got their first taste of victory and demonstrated Martin’s wife to name the company after the Hill promotion, and Aston Martin was born. The last race in Aston Hill took place in 1925.
In order to mark the 100th anniversary of this last race, the company brought its carbon fiber bred with 1.140 hp with 1,140 PS Valkyrie Hypercar together with one of the oldest surviving historical racing cars from Aston, known as The Clover Leaf. The short clip published by Aston Martin shows both cars that dramatically compete in the legendary Hill promotion. Adrian Newey, the 6.5-liter valcyrie-valcyrie-valcyrie, was designed by Adrian Newey’s legendary F1 designer.
Aston Martin’s motorsport heir dates from the 1910s and the high-speed banks in Brooklands in 1914, an event location where a works car later exceeds 103 miles per hour with Aston Martin Razor Blade. In the early 1920s, Aston was supported by a wealthy investor, Count Louis Zborowski, and his financing brought Aston to the leading Grand Prix scene in Europe in which the company was even more successful. While Zborowski’s death almost killed the dream in 1924, Aston’s reputation stuck and is one who has contributed to holding out in turbulent times and several owners in the past 100 years.
But in the post -war years it was under Sir David Brown that the company made a huge leap forward with its racing cars and street cars. Brown, who acquired the company in 1947, honored the “DB” private man, who was still on popular Aston models to this day. In 1959 he steered Aston on a Le Mans victory and a world sports car championship. While Formula 1 was a tougher nut, in the early 1960s, decades later, and after countless GT victories, and after the F1 hunt. Billionaire Lawrence walk.
While the two cars seen in the film are more than a century away, both are in the latest technology, innovation and first-class performance for their respective epochs and serve as a suitable homage to the venue in which Aston history began.
Image source: Aston Martin YouTube
