Aston Martin is recently celebrating 100 years of participating in its first race this weekend with some laps in the 1922 Aston Martin TT1. This Grand Prix racing car was born many years ago and the made its debut at that year’s French Grand Prix.
Affectionately known as the “Green Pea”, the car made its racing debut at the Circuit de Strasbourg on July 15. The TT1 and the TT2 car, were built by Aston Martin founder Lionel Martin under Authorization of Count Louis Zborowski. This Earl was once a rich young man and had a special passion for racing cars.
The Aston Martin team has spent around £10,000 (equivalent to £396,746 or $474,871 at today’s exchange rates) on developing the all-new 16-valve twin-cam four-cylinder and racing engine. their. This engine block has a capacity of 1,486 cc and is capable of producing about 55 horsepower at 4,200 rpm. With a “voiturette” body structure, the car weighs only 750 kg, actually 45 kg less than the AMR22 – the brand’s Grand Prix racing car 100 years later.
This racing car is capable of reaching a maximum speed of about 137 km/h with a two-seat configuration. The fact that the car had a two-seat configuration was because at that time, a racing car also needed the support of a mechanic to operate. Their job is to pressurize the fuel tank with a hand pump and help fix any mechanical problems as they arise.
To celebrate the car’s 100th anniversary, the brand took the car back to the track and ran some parade laps at the new home of the French Grand Prix, Circuit Paul Ricard. Green Pea is driven by Aston Martin Racing driver – England Sebastian Vettel.
Racer Vettel shared: “It is an honor for me to drive this car, exactly 100 years since the car completed the race at the French Grand Prix. The Green Pea holds a very special place in Aston Martin’s heritage and I can almost feel its impressive history the moment I drive this car.”
To honor the legendary Green Pea car, the AMR22 will have the iconic logo of the Aston Martin brand from 1913 on the nose of the car this weekend. Meanwhile, the brand’s newly redesigned winged logo will be placed on both sides of the vehicle.
Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston said: “Aston Martin has the earliest Grand Prix history of any manufacturer currently racing in F1 and we are proud to celebrate that this weekend and this is also a milestone 100 years since its debut at the French Grand Prix.” The team will certainly be hoping their French Grand Prix goes better this weekend than it did 100 years ago, when both cars failed to complete the 800km race.