David and Andrea Robertson had rocky beginnings to their endurance racing career aboard the 2006 Ford GT GTE. Originally not officially vetted to compete by Ford, they elected to ignore them, taking part in the ALMS anyway. Four years passed and in 2011 they got the opportunity to take GT to the ultimate all day all night motor race. The 24 Heures du Mans.
JUN 25th 2016
This Ford GT Is The Ultimate Motorsport Love Story
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Did we mention that husband and wife teams aren’t that commonplace? Not sure we did, not to mention that the Robertsons took on the not inconsiderable endeavour of motor racing a touch later in life than most, owing to their dedicated careers of commercial piloting.
Back to La Sarthe. Sunday the 11th of June 2011 sees David closing in on a third place podium finish at Le Mans. It also happens to be David and Andrea’s seventh wedding anniversary. So while bringing the first woman to a Le Mans podium since 1931 and being the first husband and wife on a Le Mans podium, they also earned themselves perhaps the ultimate anniversary gift to themselves as car and racing enthusiasts.
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David’s words on the whole event are brilliant: “The heartwarming thing is the last day of the race and the podium day was our wedding anniversary. So we’re on the podium spraying champagne over a quarter million crazy people, and it’s our wedding anniversary. It doesn’t get any better!”
What an incredible team Robertson Racing are, what an achievement, what a story and what fantastic people. Not to mention, what a car. This Ford GT GTE is not just an immensely capable endurance racer and Le Mans podium machine, it’s a character in a great motorsport love story. Does it get any better than that? I think we're in agreement with David on that one. What a privilege to have them and the car at Goodwood for the Festival of Speed and a pleasure to see Andrea drive it up the hill!
Photography by Tom Shaxson
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