Led by Autosport.com’s intrepid editor, Simon Strang, editorial staff from sister titles, Motorsport News and Autocar, also joined a team to make an audacious attempt to complete 1000km on the M25 in a single day.
Another Haymarket automotive title, Pistonheads.com, had recently named the M25 as the UK’s worst motorway, so it was a brave attempt, especially as 1000km meant going around the London orbital motorway 5.3 times.
But the participants for the day did have some help, from Aston Martin, to make the day’s driving a little more comfortable – an Aston Martin DBS Volante.
Strang led from the front, taking the first two laps of the day, beginning his stint at Thurrock Services at 4am. Autocar’s Vicky Parrott was next, driving one of the magazine’s long-term project cars, a Peugeot RCZ – both Aston Martin and Peugeot are front-running manufacturers in the Le Mans Series.
Motorsport News editor, Matt Burt, and deputy editor, James Attwood, completed the final stints. The successful attempt took 14 and a half hours to complete.
The Autosport 1000Km of Silverstone will take considerably less time than that – around six hours – but as an innovative and creative way to highlight and celebrate the endurance of this special event, Haymarket’s editorial staff showed great willing and all the stamina of the famous drivers – including Nigel Mansell, Giancarlo Fisichella, Jean Alesi, Allan McNish and Anthony Davidson – who will take to the track at Silverstone this weekend.
