Aston Martin to return to Le Mans with Valkyrie hypercar

Aston Martin is set to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA) from 2025 with a racing prototype version of its Valkyrie hypercar.

This means the prototype Aston Martin Valkyrie racer will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

This forthcoming competition prototype version of the Valkyrie is different from the track-only Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro that was first revealed in 2021. This was originally designed and developed to meet the LMH prototype regulations.

Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) is developing this new prototype Valkyrie racer within a pre-defined aerodynamic and power performance window that’s claimed to give it parity with its direct competition in the FIA WEC.

It will be homologated for the FIA WEC Hypercar and IMSA GTP classes ahead of the 2025 racing season.

Once the racer is homologated, it’ll be the only vehicle competing in both FIA WEC and IMSA that can trace its origins back to an existing production model.

The “race-optimised” Valkyrie will use a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine that revs to 11,000rpm and produces over 745kW of power.

The power unit includes a Balance of Performance system that’s required for the Hypercar class and is developed to “withstand the rigours of top level long-distance competition”.

Like the Valkyrie AMR Pro, the hybrid system that features on the road-going Valkyrie is absent in the forthcoming race car.

Once homologated, the US-based Heart of Racing team will spearhead Aston Martin’s programmes in both WEC and IMSA.

From 2025, Aston Martin claims it will be the only manufacturer “competing at all levels of sportscar and GT racing”. This includes Hypercar and GT4 classes, as well as the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

In addition to the prototype Valkyrie racer, Aston Martin is readying new GT3 and GT4 racers based on the Vantage platform.

These will conform to all existing and new GT regulations, including the new-for-2024 LMGT3 regulations that replace the outgoing GTE class in FIA WEC.

MORE: Aston Martin Valkyrie first customer model produced