The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025 came to an end after 14,500km and 37 days on the road, with the overall winners being two debutants on the event.
Tony Sutton and Andrew Lawson in a 1939 Chevrolet Master Coupe (pictured below) took overall victory in the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025, but they didn’t have it all their own way; Jorge and Cristobal Perez Companc, driving another Chevrolet Master Deluxe Coupe, were leading by several minutes by the halfway stage, but an engine fire led to a late arrival at a control, and subsequently a penalty that dropped them to third place.
Tony Rowe and Mark Delling, in a Ford Coupe 91A, took over the lead, but it was Sutton and Lawson who eventually emerged victorious. “It’s been tight the past few days, but we’ve just been chipping away, and we got there,” said Tony. “We’re so relieved, and still shaking. The car has been unbelievably robust; it’s been quite remarkable.”
“We’ve fought our way back up inch by inch. You just have to keep going, keep having a crack,” Andrew added. “It’s hard to describe the feeling – it’s an ecstatic feeling and we’re so happy to have a win, surrounded by all the friends from the rally.”
The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025 Classic Class saw a late change of rally leader. Gerd Bühler and Laurenz Feierabend, and Harold Goddijn and Corinne Vigreux, both in Porsche 911s, each had spells at the top of the field as part of a five-car contingent that had a chance of victory. However, it was Brian Palmer and David Bell in a Peugeot 504 (pictured below) who prevailed, after taking the lead on day 29 near Istanbul. “It’s been an epic event – really tough at stages – and we’re delighted to be here,” said Brian. “There’s been so many good bits, but the highs that followed the lows are probably the best ones.”
The oldest car in the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025 was a 1917 American LaFrance, crewed by father and son Alan and Leigh Maden, and later navigated by Alan’s brother Peter Maden. They took the longest route to get to Paris, but they made it after navigating the Kazakh Steppe to reach the Caspian Sea crossing on time.
For more information on the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025, head to organiser HERO-ERA’s site here.
The next Peking to Paris Challenge Motor Challenge take place in 2028. More information here.
We’ve collated some of the fantastic images of the 2025 event below.
