Aston Martin is at the toughest 24 hour race of them all this weekend – the annual ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours - and a pair of V12 Zagatos will compete (as seen in this month's Octane) are undoubtedly the stars of the show.

This weekend marks the next step of an ambitious project which began when the V12 Zagato was unveiled at the Concorso D'Eleganza at Villa d'Este in May this year, winning the Design award for Concepts and Prototypes.

The show car was then transformed into the number 3 race car, nicknamed 'Zag' (red) and will be piloted in the 24 hour race by Aston Martin CEO, Dr. Ulrich Bez, the company's Nürburgring Test Centre Director, Wolfgang Schuhbauer and automotive journalists Horst von Saurma and Matthew Marsh.

In addition, a green V12 Zagato (nicknamed 'Zig') - car number 5 for the race - was prepared by the small team based at Aston Martin's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Zig will be driven by One-77 Chief Engineer Chris Porritt, experienced sports car driver Oliver Mathai, Octane and Evo's Richard Meaden and experienced amateur racer Peter Cate.

Joining the Zagatos will be a V8 Vantage GT4 affectionately nicknamed 'Smurf' (now orange but formally blue) which will be driven by Aston Martin Racing works driver, Darren Turner, journalist and experienced 24 hour driver, Shinichi Katsura, Australian racer Rob Thomson and seasoned Nürburgring pilot Jurgen Stumpf.

Follow the race live on Radio Le Mans or via Aston Martin's Twitter feed.

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