Aston Martin is set to make history once again. The company announces that a racing prototype version of its ultimate hypercar, the Valkyrie, will enter the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans competition in 2025. This momentous decision is made possible through the support and backing of Aston Martin's championship-winning endurance racing partner, Heart of Racing (HoR).
At least one Valkyrie race car will be entered by the manufacturer in the Hypercar class of both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships (IMSA) starting in 2025. This ambitious undertaking will see the prototype Valkyrie competing in three of motorsport racing's most prestigious events: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Gallery: Aston Martin Valkyrie Le Mans prototype
"Performance is the lifeblood of everything that we do at Aston Martin, and motorsport is the ultimate expression of this pursuit of excellence,” Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin, said. “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. 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.”
The Valkyrie optimized for endurance racing will feature a carbon-fiber chassis and will utilize a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine found in the road-legal Valkyrie where it generates 1,000 horsepower. This power unit will be further enhanced to meet the stringent requirements of the Hypercar class and to endure the rigors of top-level, long-distance racing. Unlike the road-specification Valkyrie, however, the race car will omit the battery-electric hybrid system, focusing solely on unleashing the V12's raw combustion power on the track.
Once homologated, the Heart of Racing team will lead Aston Martin's racing programs in both the WEC and IMSA championships. This will mark a significant milestone as the Valkyrie race car will become the first purebred hypercar to participate in both prestigious championships. Moreover, it stands alone among its rivals, tracing its origins back to an existing production car.
We’ve already seen the Valkyrie in action on tracks, including the Laguna Seca and Hockenheimring circuits, and we know it is mighty capable. We also know Aston Martin wants its hypercar to be driven rather than just sit as a garage queen in climate-controlled garages.
