Learn the story of this legendary Aston Martin DB3S

As the owner of Aston Martin, David Brown, the man whose initials were given to the car itself, had every right to request his own version for road use, but he perhaps would have expected to keep hold of it for a little longer.

The DB3S first appeared in 1953 as a replacement for the DB3, which had claimed victory in the Goodwood 9 Hours a year earlier. Its first major triumph came in the RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod where Aston claimed a one-two finish, a result that carried it to third in the inaugural World Sportscar Championship. It also retained the Goodwood 9 Hours crown in 1953, but despite these successes, the marque had its heart set on winning at Le Mans.

That dream came crashing down in 1954, though, when three of Aston Martin’s works DB3Ss were destroyed in a series of accidents during the 24-hour race. Brown received a call from the Aston Martin Competitions Department in the aftermath requesting he return his DB3S, chassis number five, to the factory so they could repurpose as a works racing car.

Built originally in 1954, this unique DB3S in its road-going form featured a state-of-the-art fibreglass body, but that was quickly done away with and swapped out for a racing-spec aluminium shell. By the time it appeared on a racetrack for the first time, it was completely transformed into a works Aston Martin.

DB3S/5 made its debut at Silverstone later that year and finished second in the hands of Roy Salvadori as part of a one-two-three finish for Aston.

By 1955, the DB3S was already beginning to fall behind the superior Mercedes-Benz 300SLR, so the best Aston could manage at the Circuit de la Sarthe was fourth place behind a Silver Arrows podium lock-out. The team did manage a hattrick of victories in the Goodwood 9 Hours, and DB3S/5 took its maiden race win at Crystal Palace, again with Salvadori behind the wheel.

Aston Martin turned its attention to the DB3Ss replacement, the DBR1, for 1956, but the DB3S did still manage several successes throughout that year, although no longer as a works machine. DB3S/5 was acquired by Salvadori, and it was entered into several races throughout 1956 by the Gilby Engineering team led by Syd Greene.

This was DB3S/5’s most successful period of competition, a year that peaked with a remarkable success at the 1956 Goodwood Easter Meeting, where in the hands of Stirling Moss the Aston won the sportscar race in memorable fashion. That result insured DB3S/5’s immortality, and it remains to this day a legendary machine.

Moss was later said to be disgruntled at later meetings when he was not entered to drive what he perceived to be the fastest racing Aston chassis. Having been driven by Salvadori, Moss, Reg Parnell, Peter Collins and Tony Brooks, there are few Aston Martins with a storied history as this one.

And all that history sat in front of us in the paddocks of the 2025 Goodwood Revival. It’s surely one of the most recognisable sportscars of all time, resplendent in its stunning livery of British Racing Green with bright yellow wheel arches. It’s an inspiring car to stand next to, with history seeping out from every square inch of its exquisite aluminium bodywork.

Rarely rested in the time since its retirement from mainstream competition in 1958, DB3S/5 has enjoyed a prolific career in historic racing and was subject to a comprehensive restoration project undertaken by Aston Martin Works between 2011 and 2014. It carries a unique legacy, and the value of its presence at the Revival is difficult to quantify.

We caught up with the car’s current custodian Maxime Castelein, who was racing the car in the 2025 Freddie March Memorial Trophy, to find out a little more about what it’s like to own and drive a car which such a majestic history as this one. This was Castelein’s second time bringing the DB3S/5 back to Goodwood, something he said was an obvious decision to bring the car “back to where it belongs.”

It may have been nearly 70 years since Stirling Moss’ legendary triumph here at Goodwood, but the engine remains about as original as it’s possible to be, although Castelein has taken the car back to its roots in some respects.

“It’s exactly as it was in period. It has the same body, the same weight, everything is as it should be. We made a roll hoop for safety — back in the day there was no roll hoop, but for us it's important, we don't want to hurt ourselves.”

There are seatbelts now, too, and the brakes have been modernised in line with today’s standards, but the car you see here is very much the car that won here all those years ago. You can tell that for Castelein and the team around him, enjoying such a special piece of history is what’s important.

“It's not a race spec engine; it's tuned down because we also try to enjoy the car at weekends. It's not fully racy like some of the other cars in the race, and for us that’s fine, we’re competing in the midfield with a lot of famous, quick drivers. We try to enjoy the car as much as we can.  

“We have different cars, we try to choose which one we want to race in which event, but for us, this is Goodwood. It's very important for us to bring it here and it's an honour to do so.”

The DB3S was reportedly a tough car to handle, chassis five especially, and Castelein’s assessment would seem to back that up. He’s been lucky enough to sit in the very same seat (albeit now refurbished) as drivers like Sir Stirling Moss and Roy Salvadori, and he’s had first-hand experience of the challenges they faced.

“It's quite powerful, but it's heavy on the nose. You need to really find the right set up for it, and the right speed and braking. But once you get it right, it's a really fun car to drive. It's very predictable, good on the brakes, just a pleasure to drive, very easy.

“It’s a special feeling; the chassis is still the same, the steering wheel is the same. Obviously, it's been redone a bit for safety reasons, but yeah, it is a special feeling. When you're driving, you just have a big smile on your face and whether you're second or 18^th, it doesn't matter, you just try to go as quick as you can and have fun.”

There is no overstating how meaningful it is to see cars like this in action at the Goodwood Revival. That a race winner here, some 70 years ago, continues to grace this historic Motor Circuit for our enjoyment is something we need to appreciate, and give thanks to owners like Castelein who maintain their legacy.

Images courtesy of Getty Images.

Goodwood photography by Joe Harding, Pete Summers and Charlie Brenninkmeijer.