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Technology in race cars (4): Aston Martin DBR 1 from 1959 - A sports car beau for Le Mans

Name: Aston Martin DBR 1 1957
Brand: Aston Martin

Created on May 7, 2021

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Tim Scott - Courtesy RM Sotheby's

Aston Martin

Jochen Hätty

Balz Schreier

Jochen Van Cauwenberge

Stuart Adams Photography / stuartfadams.com

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Tim Scott - Courtesy RM Sotheby's

Aston Martin

Jochen Hätty

Balz Schreier

Jochen Van Cauwenberge

Stuart Adams Photography / stuartfadams.com

Archiv

Overall winner of the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans: Aston Martin DBR1 number #5 with Roy Salvadori/Carroll Shelby

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1959) - At Le Mans 1959

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1959) - A sip of champagne for the winner

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - Le Mans victory in 1959, the car was 20 km/h faster thanks to wheel covers

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - Efficiency elegant - Elegance efficient

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - beautiful finish

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - with big flap - tank compartment instead of trunk

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - the tubular frame makes it difficult to get in

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - an oil tank was housed in the left flank under the driver's door

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - front-center engine work of art

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Aston Martin DBR 1 (1959) - Green Leader - Spa race

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Le Mans Legend 2011 - Aston Martin DBR1 1957

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - at the Goodwood Revival 2011

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1959) - at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012 - Category 'I - Heroes of Le Mans'

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) shortly before the Dunlop arch - 2nd place overall in Plateau 3 (1957-1961) at the Le Mans Classic 2012

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - 2nd place overall in Plateau 3 (1957-1961) at the Le Mans Classic 2012

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1959) - in the race for the Sussex Trophy at the Goodwood Revival 2012

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - in the race for the Sussex Trophy at the Goodwood Revival 2012

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - legendary racing car at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - Cultivating tradition at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - View into the cockpit - at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1957) - Details of an old racing car - at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show

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Aston Martin DBR1/2 (1957) - during the demonstration drives on the occasion of the Jim Clark Tribute at the Goodwood Revival 2013

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Stirling Moss as co-driver in the Aston Martin DBR1/2 (1957) - during the demonstration drives on the occasion of the Jim Clark Tribute at the Goodwood Revival 2013

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Aston Martin DBR1 in the race for the Salvadori Cup - 72nd Goodwood Member Meeting 2014

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1959) - at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2015

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Aston Martin DBR1 (1956) - as lot 148 at the RM/Sotheby's auction in Monterey 2017

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Summary

Enzo Ferrari once said that successful sports cars are usually also beautiful. This was certainly true of the Aston Martin DBR1 of the late 1950s, because as a Le Mans winner and sports car champion, it lacked neither success nor elegant lines. The DBR1 was a solid construction and was particularly convincing as a complete package. This episode of "Technology in a racing car" looks under the aluminum-magnesium dress of the Aston Martin DBR1 and explores its success.

This article contains the following chapters

Almost everything from a single source
Le Mans victory in 1959
From racing success to financial investment

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The years 1958-1978 were the two most creative decades in the history of racing technology. This series of articles portrays the most innovative, pioneering and exotic designs of Formula 1, Indy cars, sports cars and CanAm, and at the same time traces the major lines of development that still have an impact today. The series started with Lotus, one of the most important innovation drivers of these two decades. And the series will also finish with Lotus: With the first ground-effect Formula 1 to win a world championship in 1978, the Type 79. But in this episode, it's the turn of a sports car from Aston Martin.

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