Aston Martin went into Le Mans 2013 with high hopes; five Vantage V8s spread across GTE Pro and Am meant a good chance of a class win in either or both to help see in the brand's
100th birthday
As we know, it didn't quite turn out that way and instead Aston Martin Racing found itself at the heart of
tragic events
when Allan Simonsen in the #95 Vantage GTE Am speared off the track at Tetre Rouge, the Dane succumbing to his injuries shortly afterwards.
With incredible magnanimity the Simonsen family told Aston Martin to keep racing and that's what the team did, sadly losing out on the lead of GTE Pro early on Sunday morning and leaving the #97 car of Peter Dumbreck, Darren Turner and Stefan Mucke to take the fight to the Porsche 911 RSRs. And it's that car we've chosen for this suitably moody Pic Of The Week, the Vantage ultimately unable to catch the Porsches but making it onto the podium and permitting the team a public display of respect for Simonsen and embodying the racing spirit his family were determined should prevail even in such tragic circumstances.
A sombre Pic Of The Week then. But, we hope, a suitable way of paying your respects to Allan and the Aston Martin Racing team.