Aston Martin unveils Valkyrie Hypercar as 2025 WEC, IMSA contender

MANILA: Aston Martin has unveiled its new Valkyrie Hypercar, which will compete in the 2025 editions of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. 

The said vehicle, of course, will provide a chance for Aston Martin to vie for victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (organized under WEC)  - a race in which the marque gained its first overall victory in 1959. 

Derived from a road-legal vehicle, the Valkyrie Hypercar will have its competition debut under the banner of the Aston Martin Thor works team at the opening round of the 2025 WEC in Qatar this coming February 28, 2025. 

Specs-wise, the Valkyrie Hypercar utilizes a heavily modified version of the original 1,000-horsepower (hp) Cosworth 6.5-liter V12 found on the road-legal Valkyrie. To quality for FIA’s hypercar standards, however, the said engine’s output was limited to 680 hp. Although down-tuning the mill, Aston Martin says, presents a lot of advantages. 

For starters, the racing version’s V12 can leverage the road-legal version’s strong tolerances and robust nature. The down tuning likewise allows the team to run the engine “lean,” which means more efficiency - a must-have for endurance races. 

“We operate the engine slower than it’s capable of because we require less power. The lower power limit within the regulations creates an opportunity for us to revisit the torque curve and reduce frictional losses by reducing engine speed to increase fuel efficiency,” Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport Adam Carter said. 

The car's exterior, meanwhile, leverages the original Valkyrie design as a baseline. However, it was improved to accommodate safety, rapid driver changes, refueling at pitstops, and the ability to withstand damage from wheel-to-wheel racing incidents. So, in the end, most of the changes to its body were focused on making it in line with FIA technical regulations.

Per the Gaydon-based manufacturer, Adrian Newey, who was involved in designing the Valkyrie, already made the original vehicle ready for motorsports.

Additionally, the vehicle comes with the following components:

• 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tires
• Front and rear double wishbone suspensions with pushrod torsion bar springs
• Adjustable dampers
• Bespoke race-optimized exhaust system
• Bespoke Alcon 6-piston front and rear brake calipers

To note, Aston Martin is fielding multiple units of the Valkyrie Hypercar. Two vehicles in green livery to commemorate the brand’s past glories at Le Mans will be racing in the upcoming WEC season. One Valkyrie, on the other hand, will compete in IMSA with the Thor team’s blue livery. 

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