Valkyrie’s Grand Entrance
Aston Martin, the British ultra-luxury brand, is gearing up for a grand entrance into the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar class with their prototype Valkyrie racecar. This move is set to make the Valkyrie the first hypercar, inspired by a road car, to compete in both of endurance racing’s top series.
The Heart of Racing’s Vital Role
The Heart of Racing (HoR), Aston Martin’s championship-winning endurance racing partner, is backing this ambitious endeavour. With their support, at least one Valkyrie racecar will be entered by Aston Martin in the top Hypercar class of both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships from 2025.
This means the prototype Valkyrie will be showcased in three of sportscar racing’s most prestigious events: Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Performance at the Forefront
Performance is at the core of everything Aston Martin produces. Just as the latest DB12 and DBX707 models lead their classes in performance and driving dynamics, the Valkyrie stands out as the ultimate hypercar.
Lawrence Stroll, the Executive Chairman of Aston Martin Lagonda, emphasised that motorsport is the pinnacle of their pursuit of excellence. He fondly recalled Aston Martin’s rich history at Le Mans and expressed excitement about writing a new chapter with the Valkyrie.
Decades of Racing Heritage
Aston Martin’s name is deeply intertwined with endurance racing. Their debut at Le Mans came just five years after the race’s inception in 1923. Since then, cars bearing the famous Wings have secured 19 class victories at this world-renowned French event.
As the brand celebrates its 110th anniversary, it’s only fitting that they announce their return to the world’s greatest endurance race with the Valkyrie, the most powerful hypercar ever conceived.
The Technicalities: What’s Under the Hood?
The Valkyrie AMR Pro was initially designed to meet the LMH hypercar regulations. Now, Aston Martin Performance Technologies is developing a competition prototype version of the Valkyrie. The race-optimised Valkyrie will feature a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine.
This engine, in its standard form, revs up to 11,000rpm and boasts over 1000bhp. The power unit will be further enhanced to meet the Hypercar class’s requirements and will be developed to endure top-level long-distance competition.
The Heart of Racing’s Continued Partnership
Founded by American businessman and philanthropist Gabe Newell in 2014, The Heart of Racing is not just a racing team but also a charity supporting causes like the Seattle Children’s Cardiology Research Fund. Ian James, Team Principal of Heart of Racing, expressed his excitement about bringing Aston Martin back to the pinnacle of endurance racing.
The Future of Aston Martin in Racing
From 2025, Aston Martin will be the only manufacturer competing at all levels of sportscar and GT racing, as well as the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. This commitment is further solidified by their announcement to build and prepare all-new GT3 and GT4 cars based on the Vantage platform for the 2024 racing season.
Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport, marked this as the beginning of a new chapter for Aston Martin in endurance racing. With the Valkyrie leading the charge and the support of partners like Heart of Racing, the future looks bright for Aston Martin’s endeavours on the racetrack.
