Aston Martin is preparing to go full circle as it attempts to make a splash with the Valkyrie hypercar. While the street legal version looks beautiful and will be available in limited numbers, the British automaker also sees it as a potent entry in racing and it decided to shock the world by confirming the Valkyrie will be entering the Weathertech Racing Series while also sharing other details about its plans for the upcoming racing season.
Green means go for this Valkyrie
The LMH version of the Valkyrie shares alot of its core DNA with the standard model with the front end continuing to have a simple flowing design. However, the unique needs and regulations of LMH duty forced the company to make modifications to help the vehicle comply. The front gets a larger splitter and a reworked bumper with the rear of the car getting a massive rear wing to help generate as much rearward downforce as possible. Performance is the most unusual aspect of this car with the LMH not getting the hybrid system the roadgoing Valkyrie has. Instead, Aston engineers chose to use a naturally aspirated V12 which has been modified to run leaner while also being reliable enough to last throughout the entire race.
While those core details haven’t changed, Aston chose to reveal the final livery colors for the model with the LMH featuring two of them for each race series it will be participating in. The car that will be competing in the WEC series (including the iconic 24 hrs of Le Mans race will be slathered in British Racing Green and will have the #007 (a sly reference to Aston’s long association with the fictional secret agent) on the front and sides with a sister #009 car accompanying it. Meanwhile, the Valkyrie that will be competing in the IMSA series swaps out the green for a darker shade of blue and will wear the #23. This car will be piloted by drivers Ross Gunn and Roman de Angelis with the WEC contender being driven by Marco Sorenson, Tom Gamble, Alex Riberas, and Harry Tinknell.
Adrian Hallmark, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin Lagonda said: “This is a proud moment for Aston Martin. To be returning to the fight for overall honours at the 24 Hours of Le Mans exists at the very core of our values and marks a key milestone in our motor racing heritage. As the only hypercar born from the road to challenge at the top of sports car racing in both the WEC and IMSA, the Valkyrie is an embodiment of our enduring sporting ethos, one that has defined the brand for more than century.”
Aston fully embracing the challenges of a dual program season
Aston Martin appears ready to fully embrace the challenges of running seasons in two separate racing programs at once with the company claiming that the Valkyrie will not only make a splash in the WEC, but also prove its worth in the IMSA Weathertech Series as well.
“Of course, we only do it because we want to win,” says Carter. “However, we respect the challenge of the events and the competition. They are at a high level, and that’s why we want to compete against them. Fundamentally, it is only worth winning if it’s against strong competition. We acknowledge that we will be joining them when they are already established.
He elaborated further stating “It’s a great time to be joining the pinnacle of sports car racing. The ACO, IMSA and the FIA have collectively created championships of growing popularity through working collaboratively. We are fully supportive of this process. They have done a great job of establishing the format and promoting the series to make this a golden era of sports car racing. It’s an opportunity compete on the global stage in a fair and competitive environment.”
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.