Jonny Adam on the Return of Ecurie Ecosse with Blackthorn
Team to Celebrate 70th Anniversary of Ecurie Ecosse win at Le Mans
This season British team Blackthorn return to the Asian Le Mans Series with a very special partnership with Ecurie Ecosse. The iconic team are celebrating the 70th anniversary of their famous win at Le Mans in 1956 on their debut at La Sarthe.
The 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans was also the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. In an intense battle the no4 Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-Type driven by Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhart finished a lap ahead of the works Aston Martin DB3S of Stirling Moss and Peter Collins to record a very famous victory for the Scottish team led by David Murray and Walter ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson.
Two time 24 Hours of Le Mans LMGTE winner Jonny Adam, who hails from Kirkcaldy in Scotland, with join Giacomo Petrobelli and Kobe Pauwels for the six race 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series, which starts in Sepang on the 12-14 December. Adam was the driving force behind the idea of celebrating the 70th Anniversary with Blackthorn.
Jonny Adam said, “This partnership with Ecurie Ecosse and Blackthorn really started as an idea I had in March/April this year. Both Alasdair McCaig (Ecurie Ecosse) and Claude Bovet (Blackthorn) felt the same as me that this story was too good too not put together.
“I am very proud Scot so to finally drive for Ecurie Ecosse will be a great moment for me personally as the Scottish drivers who have raced for Ecurie Ecosse over the years are iconic names within motorsport but the goal is about celebrating the 70 year anniversary of the 1956 overall Le Mans 24 Hour victory and that’s why we choose ALMS to really try and get on that grid in 2026.
“We see this as not a 1-year thing also as we plan to race within the ACO with this historic team name in Ecurie Ecosse along with Blackthorn.”
Former Ecurie Ecosse driver, and three time F1 World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart’s charity Race Against Dementia will also be on the car.
“Founded by Sir Jackie Stewart, Race Against Dementia is a charity set up to fund breakthrough and innovative dementia research,” Adam said. “With Sir Jackie’s connection as a driver to Ecurie Ecosse, alongside his brother Jimmy Stewart, it felt right that we have Race Against Dementia on our car at all times. We will try raise awareness of this amazing charity through our race programs and support in anyway possible on and off the track.”
Jonny Adam raced with Giacomo Petrobelli and Blackthorn in the 2024/25 Asian Le Mans Series and is looking forward to returning to the series with the same driver and team.
“I think returning with the Blackthorn as a team plus a known strong bronze in Giacomo makes us quietly confident of hopefully some good performances,” he said. “The team have been improving since last time out in ALMS and we feel well prepared with our Aston Martin Vantage evo GT3 going into December at Sepang.”
So how well does Jonny Adam know his other teammate Kobe Pauwels?
“I haven’t raced with Kobe Pauwels yet but we as a team are excited to have him join Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn for ALMS,” Adma said. “Kobe is part of the Aston Martin Racing driver academy so I have really kept a close eye on his performances, and we really wanted him part of this journey. He’s a champion this year and alongside Giacomo I feel we have a strong line up towards ALMS.”
Sepang will be the first challenge on the calendar. What are Jonny Adam’s thoughts on the track, and does he think the layout will suit the Aston Martin Vantage?
“Sepang will be tricky with hot temperatures and humidity but as a circuit it should be OK for our Aston Martin Vantage Evo GT3,” he said. “We have data from last year, but the key is tyre degradation, which is high at Sepang, so, not only will we try to unlock performance, but also try look after the tyres as long into a stint as we can do.
Jonny Adam concluded, “I look forward to racing again within the ACO and starting the journey with Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn.”
