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A.C. Bertelli was extremely keen for his Aston Martins to
prove themselves in competition. In this way, lessons learned on the race
track could be quickly incorporated onto the production cars. Also competition
success would reflect well on the cars and encourage more to be sold.
The first team cars (LM1 and LM2) competed in the 1928 Le
Mans 24 hour race and although neither finished, the team was awarded a
special prize for being the fastest 1½ litre cars at the start of the
race.
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In 1931, the company had sufficient finance to fund the
building of three new team cars, LM5, LM6 and LM7. As well as UK events,
all three cars entered the Le Mans 24 hour. This is LM5, photographed
during the Parade des Pilots at Le Mans in 1999 and again in the AMOC
Horsfall race at Silverstone in 2000. This car sadly retired in
the 1931 Le Mans race, although LM6 finished 5th overall and 1st in class.
Below is LM7, photographed in the 2006 AMOC Horsfall Race
at Silverstone. When the works had finished with LM7 at the end of the 1931
season, it was purchased by Mortimer 'Mort' Morris-Goodall, the founder of
the Aston Martin Owners Club. |