Aston Martin is gearing up for an electrifying entry into the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar class with a prototype Valkyrie racecar that could rewrite the history books.
With the support of its championship-winning endurance racing partner, Heart of Racing (HoR), Aston Martin will field at least one Valkyrie racecar in the top Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships from 2025.
This ambitious endeavour will see the prototype Valkyrie racing in three of the most iconic events in sportscar racing; the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The Valkyrie represents the epitome of Aston Martin’s development in ultimate speed and dynamic excellence. Lawrence Stroll, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda, said:
“We have been present at Le Mans since the earliest days, and through those glorious endeavours we succeeded in winning Le Mans in 1959 and our class 19 times over the past 95 years. 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.”
Aston Martin has a storied history at Le Mans, with 19 class victories and that overall triumph in 1959. Now, in the marque’s 110th anniversary year, it is ready to return with the Valkyrie – a racing prototype inspired by its fastest production car ever.
The Valkyrie AMR Pro, originally designed to meet LMH hypercar regulations, is being transformed into a competition prototype for WEC and IMSA racing. It will use a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine and adhere to the ‘Balance of Performance’ requirements of the Hypercar class.
The Heart of Racing team, led by American businessman Gabe Newell, will assist Aston Martin in both WEC and IMSA. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Aston Martin’s motorsport journey and aligns perfectly with its ambition to compete at all levels of sportscar racing, from Hypercar to GT4, and even in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
In addition to its Hypercar entry, Aston Martin is also committed to building and preparing new GT3 and GT4 cars based on the Vantage platform, ensuring its presence across various racing categories. Aston Martin’s head of endurance motorsport, Adam Carter, said:
“It’s a fascinating program, given that this is the only hypercar in the class with direct synergies to its road car counterpart.”
The Aston Martin will join the recently-announced Lamborghini SC63, which is also set for the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, only it will start in 2024. The Aston Martin will hit the circuit from 2025. Check out the video below for a preview.
