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Nürburgring 24-Hour race 2015

2015/05/19

The Nürburgring 24-Hour race 2015 was held from16 to 17 May in Germany.

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N430 in the same livery that Rose had in its debut
This is the final race for Dr. Bez.
What will the result be?

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Grid Walk taking place less than 1 hour before the start of the race

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Stunning look of GT12 released in 2015

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Dr. Bez after his last stint of driving in the 23rd hour of the race
 You did a great job for a long time!
From left, Mr. David King, Dr. Bez and Yuki

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Victory of Dr. Bez. Yeah!!! We had been waiting for this moment for 24 hours!

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Sharing a champagne toast with Mr. and Mrs. Bez
for Victory in SP8 Class, successful completion of the race,
his youth for age of 71 and partnership with Immun'Âge.

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Like the day after a storm,
the circuit is quiet on the day after the race.

This year is a special year for Aston Martin, because it has been ten years since Dr. Ulrich Bez started competing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours as Aston CEO and this is the last 24 hour race for him. And coincidentally, it has been also ten years since Dr. Bez as well as his family started taking Immun'Âge. Ten years ago, the atmosphere of Nürburgring 24 Hours was more like an amateur race with so many entries. All of them were rivals, but all of them were friends at that time. In such a circumstance, Dr. Bez obligated himself to drive the Aston's new model and test it for endurance on his own before delivering it to Aston's customers. His philosophy has been continued through by Aston's new CEO, Andy Palmer. Andy also drove Aston car at the Silverstone 24 Hour race in UK on April 24-25.

On May 16, at 1:00PM which is just 3 hours before the race start, an Aston Martin Customer Parade Lap comprising 40 cars from all over Europe took place and they made it at good speed at this famous Nürburgring circuit. It was led by Aston Martin's CEO Dr. Andy Palmer driving a Vantage GT12. Chairman Dr. Bez in "Rose" started the parade from the tail end and caught up with Andy just before the goal line and passed the touch to the new CEO. It was a very smart act and very much like Aston.

My wife and I also participated in this Parade Lap. It was a beautiful race track surrounded by greenery, but the constant up and down and tight corners on the track demanded my brain to work at full-throttle all the time. I just could not believe that drivers of 24 hour race are no more than human beings like us. If you often get carsick, you would suffer from it within 20 seconds in a racing car.

This year, Aston Martin entered five cars: Vantage V8 and a pair of GT12 from Aston Martin Lagonda and a pair of Vantage GT3 from Aston Martin Racing. Japanese-born Immun'Âge presented a driver seat of the race for a Japanese driver. The result of the race was Victory of 71-year-old Dr.Bez in Vantage V8 in its class. He was the most energetic driver among all and brought this result by holding composure throughout the race. Thank you very much for these ten years, Dr. Bez!

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Aston CEO, Andy and GT12, leading
 car of ston Martin Customer Parade Lap
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Dr. Bez says that Immun'Âge makes
 him 100 time as young as he is.
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Aston owners from all over Europe
 getting  together in front of the circuit
 entrance
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We also participated the parade in this
 Rapide with Number Plate "AML-1",
 standing for "Aston Martin, Lagonda-1"
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Aston Martin+Immun'Âge displayed 
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 in the technical center    
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In Nürburgring, we still need winter
 clothes even in May. So Chilly!!!
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On the day before the race, five Aston cars
 were squashed into the pit!
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With AMR Driver Stefan Mücke,
who will also race in Le Mans next month
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Basking in the sun before the race
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With Aston Martin's Team Director,
David
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With friends from BILSTEIN, Germany
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Darren Turner in Car number 7
"Ready to go"

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Aston Martin GT3 in the battle of Works,
24 hour full-throttle race in another
  dimension
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During the oil checks, they would not
 overlook even a smallest problem.
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Taking a quick break after their pit work

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At the break of day, we could see
smiles on their faces knowing the better
position.

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Yuki is in charge of translation as well as
sponsor when the director gves an
instruction to the Japanese driver.

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With AMR Team Principal John Gaw,
 who will  be busy in preparing for
Le Mans
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Having only 30 minutes left, the pit is
 being filled with mixed atmosphere
 because nobody knows what would
 happen until the race ends, but everybody
 knows that the long 24-hour race will
 definitely end soon.
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Immun'Âge has a good reputation for
a jet lag recovery, too. It's something
you can't do without during 24-hr race.
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This is the last N24 race for Dr. Bez.
He is waiting for his very last stint of
 driving.I wonder if he is in mental
 concentration or simulating the race.
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Time for a goal. Everybody did really
 Great!
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Taking a commemorative photo has
 become one of annual highlights.
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Aston ladies from Germany,
thank you for your hospitality.
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With members of Aston Martin Lagonda
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Their average age is 60 years old!
They achieved class victory and were
 ranked as the oldest team
by far in all the team.
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The support of Members of Aston Martin
 Europe was fantastic.
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Speech of Dr. Bez after his last stint
as a driver
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Podium for victory of Car number 48
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