How Aston Martin claimed Le Mans glory in a final-lap thriller

Adam first raced at Le Mans last year, finishing sixth in a GTE Pro-class works Vantage GTE. “It was a big milestone in my career to get to Le Mans,” he says. “I’d done other 24 hours races, but Le Mans was the one on the bucket list. We got a finish and good points in the World Endurance Championship last year – but the ultimate goal once you’ve done something is to taste success in it.”

And now, here he was, with 45 minutes to go in the world’s most famous endurance race – and just one car standing between him and victory. The problem was that car was a works Chevrolet Corvette, with Jordan Taylor driving the machine he shared with Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia. Taylor was part of the line-up that won the GTE Pro class at Le Mans in 2015 – he wasn’t exactly going to move aside for Adam.

Which brings us back to that surreal radio message – and an intense 45-minute showdown.

“I was always chasing,” says Adam. “The Corvette had slightly fresher tyres and a little bit more grip, but the performance between both cars was even: there was nothing between us.

“The key was to not make any mistakes, because Jordan was fast and if he’d been able to break the tow I was getting from him he would have pulled away. So it was 45 minutes of absolutely flat-out racing, at every corner.

“There were a few corners where I was quicker. In my head it was a case of ‘people don’t remember who finishes second at Le Mans, but they do remember epic battles – and winners.’ If the opportunity arose, I knew I had to pounce – and I did.”

The opportunity came in the final laps of the race, with the clock winding down. “I put a move on the Corvette at Arnage, and he ran a little deep,” says Adam. “There was a small bit of contact.”

Ultimately, the Corvette stayed in front there, with Adam forced off the circuit. It looked like the race might have been settled, but Adam closed back in on the penultimate lap, and then there was drama. 

First Taylor locked up and ran on at one of the Mulsanne chicanes, putting Adam right back on his tail. And it became apparent the Corvette had picked up a puncture – which Adam notes came from Taylor’s lock-up and not their earlier contact.

“We were running nose-to-tail through the Porsche Curves, and I could see his front-left tyre start to delaminate with the puncture. My plan was not to pounce on entry to the final chicane but to repeat a move I’d put on a Corvette six hours earlier, and overtake him on the exit.”

And so, coming out of the final chicane at Le Mans, Adam made his move. Taylor was unable to resist in the stricken Corvette and so, as he crossed the line to start the final lap, Adam took the lead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“As I was doing the move, everyone was climbing onto the pit wall ready for the winning LMP1 Porsche to come over the line,” says Adam. “The wall was absolutely filled, and the crowd were on their feet cheering as we battled.

“Once I’d got past, I knew he had a problem. He went out of sight in my mirrors – and then I just had to do what felt like the longest lap of the whole weekend!

“It was a massive team effort. To see the emotion on the faces of everyone in the team hanging over the pitwall was quite special. Being honest, I did shed a tear as I crossed the line.”