Aston Martin is set to reignite its storied association with the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) by launching two entries into next season’s hypercar class, including a return to the esteemed Le Mans 24 Hour race. The brand’s commitment introduces the Valkyrie LMH, a revolutionary model developed in conjunction with the Heart of Racing team, marking an ambitious reentry into top-tier endurance racing.
The Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH, derived from the pinnacle of Aston Martin’s engineering collaboration with Cosworth, is tailored for the rigors of endurance racing. It sports a formidable 6.5-litre V12 engine, designed initially for the Valkyrie road car, tweaked to produce over 1000bhp and reach 11,000rpm. Notably, this version eschews the hybrid system found in its road-going counterparts, aligning with the Balance of Performance standards required in WEC’s hypercar segment.
The 2025 regulations, imposing a minimum two-car per manufacturer condition, will see Aston Martin compete against esteemed names like Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot, BMW, and Alpine. Adam Carter, head of endurance motorsport at Aston Martin, highlighted the company’s rich legacy at Le Mans and its dedication to leading in the hypercar field.
“We first raced at Le Mans more than 95 years ago, something no other road-going hypercar manufacturer can say. We are very proud of our association with this wonderful event,” he said, as quoted by F1i.com, affirming Aston Martin’s commitment to the series and its upcoming challenge.
“With that in mind it’s very clear that we are committed to WEC’s hypercar concept and bringing our famous wings back to the very forefront of international sportscar racing, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” Carter added.
The development of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH is reportedly progressing on schedule with plans for a track debut later this year. Carter outlines a rigorous testing regimen leading to its formal competition entry:
“The Valkyrie AMR-LMH programme is on schedule with a significant amount of development taking place behind the scenes and ahead of the car’s track debut later this summer. We then anticipate an intensive period of testing to put miles on the car and learn all we can ahead of its planned homologation in the autumn.”
Ian James, principal of the Heart of Racing team, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the accelerated schedule necessary to meet the new WEC regulations.
“With this new direction of the WEC ruleset we have had to bring forward our plans to run multiple sites in the WEC Hypercar class. This has obviously condensed our build-up process,” James stated.
“But we are very excited about the prospect of having two cars in the field. We will be proud to be a part of this class, which has seen a meteoric rise in the past couple of years. The challenge ahead is immense, and we are looking forward to the journey.”
As Aston Martin prepares for this transition, the broader implications for the sport are significant. Their commitment places them uniquely in the motorsports landscape, being active in every racing level from Hypercar to GT4, and even in Formula 1 with 2-time champion Fernando Alonso behind the wheel. This strategy not only underscores Aston Martin’s racing pedigree but also sets a pervasive presence across the spectrum of international motorsport.
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