A 1939 Aston Martin C-Type Won the Louis Vuitton Dolomites Classic Run

Nearly a century after rolling off the line, one Aston Martin roadster has proven itself a formidable racer.

An ultra-rare 1939 Aston Martin C-type Speed featuring aerodynamic coachwork by Bertelli (pictured top) has won the Louis Vuitton Dolomites Classic Run. The car, driven by Gianandrea Redaelli, was one of 22 exceptional classics that completed the four-day journey from Venice through the Dolomites to Monza.

The Louis Vuitton Classic Run began in 1993 with a drive through the Malaysian jungle. Subsequent races were held across China, France, Italy, and Central Europe, before the event wrapped up in 2012 with a run from Monaco through the Swiss Alps to Venice. It was relaunched under Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari in July, with the recent Dolomites run being the first of the new era. 

The race kicked off on September 1 at the Villa Pisani in Stra near Venice, with competitors covering approximately 373 miles across two days. Crews were judged on precision and consistency rather than outright speed, with the overall classification determined by performance across time controls, passage checks, average speed trials, and regularity trials. The run fittingly ended at the Monza racetrack, with participants partaking in a parade during the opening of the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix. (LVMH, the parent company of Louis Vuitton, recently inked a 10-year sponsorship deal with F1, which explains that connection.) 

The awards ceremony took place on September 4 at Castello Sforzesco in Milan, with a total of four prizes given out. Redaelli, an accomplished rally driver and vintage car enthusiast, was presented with the competition’s highest honor, adding to a long list of victories that includes winning the 2012 Louis Vuitton Classic Serenissima Run in a 1923 Bugatti Type 23 and the 2006 Louis Vuitton Boheme Run in a 1933 Aston Martin Le Mans Special. He was awarded a trophy designed by Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis and produced by Murano glassmaker Venini, which was housed in a bespoke Louis Vuitton trophy trunk created by artisans in the house’s historic Asnières-sur-Seine workshops.

Also on the night, Katarina Kyvalova and Marta Carello, driving a 1931 Bentley 8 Litre, were named Elegance in Motion champions; David and Virginia Sydorick, driving a 1954 Aston Martin Lagonda DP115, received the Legacy and Long-Time Commitment award; and Carlo Gussalli Beretta and Melissa Satta, driving a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione, were crowned Regularity champions.

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The Louis Vuitton Classic Run has not historically followed a fixed recurring schedule, and the maison has not specified when or where the next race will be held. We vote for the U.S.