Ever since Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll took control of Aston Martin, things have broadly been on the up at the venerable British automaker, particularly in motorsport. From recruiting two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to overhauling the entire Formula 1 team and supporting a healthy GT racing program, Stroll has done his part to ensure that the company is a force on the track as well as the streets. Today’s announcement that the Aston Martin Valkyrie will compete in the World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as IMSA in 2025 places strong emphasis on that.
The brand confirmed Wednesday that it will field “at least one” Valkyrie AMR Pro in each series through its championship-winning endurance racing partner Heart of Racing. Aston’s halo car will slot into the Hypercar class in WEC and in GTP in IMSA, joining the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac, and Acura.
By simultaneously racing in both championships, Aston Martin will be able to compete in the world’s top three endurance races: the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and of course, the crown jewel, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Already known for its mind-blowing performance and lengthy development courtesy of Red Bull Racing’s involvement, the racing-bound Valkyrie AMR Pro will retain its Cosworth-built 6.5-liter, naturally aspirated V12 engine. In “production” spec, per se, it produces 1,000 horsepower and can rev up to 11,000 rpm. Of course, Aston Martin Heart of Racing will have to comply with both WEC and IMSA’s Balance of Performance rules, so it’s unclear how those figures will have to change for the race car. What is clear is that the battery-hybrid system from the street-legal Valkyrie won’t be carried over, but that’s not entirely a surprise since it had already been removed for the AMR Pro.
Aston claims that the Valkyrie was “originally designed and developed to meet Hypercar regulations,” which makes sense if you consider that the company was one of the first manufacturers to commit to the Hypercar initiative way back in 2019. That is, until priorities in F1 and the ascent of IMSA’s cheaper LMDh ruleset led it to cancel the program.
Still, the FIA has yet to homologate the car. This is a lengthy process that will likely conclude sometime in 2024, though when it’s over, Aston Martin Valkyrie will be the only hypercar to participate in both championships, and the only one in the field to trace its roots back to a production car. That is if you think of the Valkyrie as a production car, of course.
“We have been present at Le Mans since the earliest days, and through those glorious endeavors we succeeded in winning Le Mans in 1959 and our class 19 times over the past 95 years,” said Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin. “Now we return to the scene of those first triumphs aiming to write new history with a racing prototype inspired by the fastest production car Aston Martin has ever built.
“In addition to our presence in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Aston Martin’s return to the pinnacle of endurance racing will allow us to build a deeper connection with our customers and community, many of whom found their passion for the brand through our past success at Le Mans,” Stroll added.
Aston Martin first contested in Le Mans in 1928, and approximately 240 racing drivers have piloted over 27 different chassis and engine configurations at the famed race over the last 95 years.
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