Tomas de Vargas Machuca wins Personal Achievement Award for Record Breaking Solo Endurance Achievement on the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge 2025

Vintage Bentley driver and adventurer, Tomas de Vargas Machuca, conquered the 2025 Peking
to Paris Motor Challenge of 37 days and 14,899 kms single handed to set new record. By doing
so, he completed the first ever P2P solo, but not content with that, he drove the Bentley on from
the Paris finish to his original departure at the HERO-ERA HQ in Bicester Motion UK.
It was also a group achievement with Bicester Motion and Specialists, Kingsbury Racing Shop,
Harry Fraser Upholstery, Auto- Historica, Vintage Car Radiator Company and Vintage Magneto
who assisted the effort.

To understand the enormity of the solo driving achievement of Tomas de Vargas Machuca, the
Chairman of HERO-ERA on the 2025 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, consider the gruelling route covering 12 countries, halfway around the world at a distance of 14, 899 kms. From China, to Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, and then onward to Türkiye and the European leg through Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and finally France. There were 10 border crossings and six nights under canvas. Tough roads on a route that spent much of the first three weeks taking in the southern reaches of the Gobi Desert. It was a major endurance effort, but it was also about survival.

Remarkably, Tomas also finished the 2025 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, described as the world's last true motoring adventure, in 14th place overall. He won a special award for his efforts after an incredible journey, often in adverse conditions. Now Tomas has won a Personal Achievement Award at the Historic Motoring Awards, (Nov 14) whilst awaiting a pending confirmation from Guiness World Records.

The previous solo distance driving record in a competition event was set by Englishman Eddie Hall at Le Mans in 1950 driving his Bentley solo for the entire distance, despite having a co-driver in the pits ready to take over. He completed 236 laps, which equals 3,200 km (2,000 miles).

Tomas said; “I am very grateful to the Historic Motoring Awards judges for the Personal Achievement Award. I am delighted and honoured in equal measure. To bring the car home and achieve the solo driving distance record was a thrill, but also a relief, as endurance rallying can be very hard, but also great fun and very rewarding.

"So much work went into car preparation and my own training as you're doing it day after day after day, but it all paid off. It's really important to keep your mindset and be positive because the days are long in the sun, especially when you're rallying in searing heat on the other side of the world in harsh and changing conditions, it is pounding.”

The 2025 P2P event became the platform for Tomas to become a World Record Breaker following on from Anton Gonnissen (furthest distance on a 3-wheeler) and Mitch Gross (furthest distance in a steam driven vehicle) both records set on the 2019 Peking to Paris. Tomas de Vargas Machuca set a record* for the longest distance solo drive (single handed) by car (Vintage) over 14,889 kms in 37 days across the world’s largest landmass on the 2025 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge in a 1926 Bentley 3-4 ½ Litre. *Official record application awaiting ratification by Guiness World Records.

“I felt the challenge was not just about whether the car could make it, but also if I could go all the way physically. Apart from the general training and vital car preparation, there were many disciplines such as hydrating yourself regularly and protecting your skin. Fortunately, I didn’t feel it too much because you're on the go all the time running on adrenaline, all that sweat evaporates. When you are not being peppered by the sand or battered by the wind, there is rain, then you are back to being scorched again, all in a day.

“I know that a lot of people have been intrigued by the solo effort, which I find probably the biggest
recognition. Now I want to source other people who are willing to take that solo challenge and help them. It's a matter of finding a system, finding the process, and sticking to the process. That way, the hours and minutes just evaporate.

“You know, when you're doing your own maintenance, you've got to be pretty organised. You can't be getting in and out of the car and sliding underneath every time, or trying to find a spanner or whatever equipment,

“When I was finally back in Bicester Motion, I wanted to show Kingsbury Racing the car as it was.
They prepared the car and helped train me, they were brilliant in every respect. They were just
looking at the details of certain things to see what might need addressing. This was a group effort by Bicester Motion and the Specialists here. Kingsbury Racing Shop were the prime movers, but Harry Fraser Vehicle Upholstery, Auto-Historica, Vintage Magneto and Vintage Car Radiator Company were significant contributors to the effort. Historit, Motor Spirit Ltd and our own associated company Hangar 136, all played their part in helping me achieve something special.

“The whole experience still hasn't sunken in yet, I kind of don't really want it to sink in either, even
after six months! I want to think of the next challenge and get on with it. Even looking at some of the YouTube videos that I was doing for everybody else, I was getting bored of looking at me, because I've been through it.

"But that was the Peking to Paris solo 2025, now bring on the next challenge!”