Aston Martin at the Hotel De France

In the 1950’s and 1960’s Aston Martin used the Hotel de France as its base for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The famed endurance race will happen June 13th-14th and the English performance car maker is hoping for great success in the GTE Am class.

Last year the AMR V8 Vantage GTE managed a dominate class win. The automaker is hoping to repeat that success this year and they took to the Hotel de France for inspiration from the past.

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50 years after Aston Martin Racing and the Hotel de France last worked together, the two had a reunion. It was a chance to remember some great times at Le Mans past. This year as the English racing team returned to the hotel they brought three 2015 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTEs. Along with the cars came works drivers Darren Turner, Richie Stanaway and Mathias Lauda. It made for a perfect opportunity to recreate the photos and footage that captured some of the greatest moments in the brand’s 102-year history.

David Richards, Chairman of Aston Martin Racing, said: “The Hotel de France is an important part of Aston Martin’s motorsport heritage, having been the team’s Le Mans base for many years in the late 1950s, including 1959 when the team won the 24-hour race. This year, we wanted to recreate the nostalgia of those days, when the racing cars had their final preparations alongside the hotel before being driven some 40km (25 miles) to the circuit along public roads.”

Each year many local racing fans would come to the French town to see a few of the cars. In 1959 the hotel saw its first victory party, when the Aston Martin DBR1, driven by Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori won the legendary 24 hour race.

Martin Overington, owner of the hotel, which he purchased and refurbished last year, said: “This is one of the biggest events that has ever taken place at the hotel. It is literally history repeating itself and we are delighted to be welcoming the racing cars, their drivers and of course David Richards, the Chairman of Aston Martin Racing.”

Aston Martin Racing’s return to Le Mans’ Circuit de la Sarthe is just over a week away. We will be following all of the action in what should be a very entertaining race.