Aston Martin is geared up to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2025 with a prototype of the Valkyrie, which is set to become the first hypercar to simultaneously compete in both of endurance racing’s most prestigious series.
BELIEVE THE HYPE
Performance is the driving force behind Aston Martin, and motorsport is the ultimate expression of this pursuit of excellence.
Harnessing the emphatic, breathtaking performance that Aston Martin is known for is the Valkyrie – the definitive hypercar. Supported by Heart of Racing (HoR), Aston Martin’s invaluable championship-winning endurance racing partner raising money for Seattle Children’s Cardiology Research Fund, at least one Valkyrie will be entered into the Hypercar class of both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA).
As a result, the prototype will participate in three of the most prestigious events in sportscar racing – the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans), the Rolex 24 at Daytona (Rolex 24), and the 12 Hours of Sebring (Sebring).
When a racing prototype of the Valkyrie carries Aston Martin into the fight for victory at Le Mans, it will take on the challenge it was born for and return the iconic ultra-luxury British sports car manufacturer to the pinnacle of endurance racing.
ANNIVERSARY ANNOUNCEMENT
This year marked the 100th anniversary of Le Mans, a century on from the inaugural running of the world’s greatest endurance race in 1923.
The Aston Martin name is synonymous with endurance racing glory, with the brand’s Le Mans debut coming in 1928, just five years after the race was first run.
Since then, cars adorned with the famous wings of Aston Martin have clinched no less than 19 class victories at Le Mans, including overall triumph in 1959 with the iconic DBR1.
Over the past 95 years, more than 240 drivers have raced for Aston Martin at Le Mans in 27 different chassis and engine combinations through virtually every era.
No other venue has given Aston Martin as much success as Le Mans, and just as the world-famous event is celebrating a milestone year, 2023 likewise marks the 110th anniversary of the iconic car manufacturer.
It therefore made perfect sense to announce the brand’s return to the world’s greatest endurance race for the first time since 2011, with the most potent hypercar ever devised.
PROTOTYPE VERSION
Originally designed and developed to meet Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) regulations, Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) has begun the task of developing and homologating a prototype version of the Valkyrie for racing within a pre-defined aerodynamic and power performance window.
AMPT is situated in the newly built AMR Technology Campus, co-located with the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team headquarters in Silverstone. The complex knowledge base that Aston Martin is building through its Formula One team can likewise be harnessed by AMPT to further enhance the capabilities of the Valkyrie.
A race-optimised carbon fibre chassis and a modified 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 Cosworth engine will be used by the hypercar, which as standard produces over 1,000 brake horsepower.
To incorporate the critical Balance of Performance (BoP) requirements of the Hypercar class, the Cosworth power unit will be further enhanced and developed to withstand the relentless rigour of long-distance endurance racing.
HoR will spearhead both of Aston Martin’s WEC and IMSA programmes once the Valkyrie has been homologated, as it becomes the first purebred hypercar to participate in both championships and the only one among its rivals whose origins can be traced back to an existing production car.
Having earned Aston Martin’s first IMSA GT Daytona (GTD) class championship title in 2022, HoR recorded the brand’s maiden class victory in this year’s Rolex 24 and finished seventh on its Le Mans debut in June.
With big ambitions in endurance racing, it’s the right time for HoR to make the step into WEC and IMSA’s top classes and compete for honours.
COMPETING AT ALL LEVELS
The Valkyrie’s entry into the Hypercar class ensures that Aston Martin will have a presence in all aspects of endurance racing.
Not only that, but following the additional announcement of Aston Martin’s commitment to building and preparing all-new GT3 and GT4 cars, it will also be the only manufacturer competing at every level of sportscar and GT racing (from Hypercar to GT4) and the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Taking Aston Martin back to the top tier of sportscar racing, the Valkyrie has the potential and performance capabilities to compete alongside benchmark machinery in its class.
Doing so in cooperation with a proven championship-winning operation such as HoR provides a competitive platform for Aston Martin.
As the only hypercar in the class with direct synergies to its road car counterpart, the Valkyrie is a fascinating concept that was always destined to break boundaries.
Now, Aston Martin has the chance to demonstrate what this impressive feat of engineering can achieve on the track.
