Aston Martin's factory Valkyrie racing campaign is masterminded in WEC and IMSA by US-based The Heart of Racing, which previously ran Aston Martin's Vantage GT3 in both series. The outfit confirmed it will field two cars in the WEC campaign. Drivers Harry Tincknell and Tom Gamble will commandeer the #007 Valkyrie, while the sister #009 car will be driven by Marco Sørensen and Alex Riberas.
Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis will campaign the #23 entry in the IMSA GTP class. Gunn and De Angelis will also join the WEC contenders to complete in the three-driver line-ups at Le Mans.
The WEC season is made up of eight rounds. After the season opener in Qatar, the championship includes European races at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, then Interlagos in Brazil, Cota in Austin, Texas, Fuji in Japan and the finale in Bahrain on November 8. Le Mans is a particularly big deal for Aston Martin as it marks the first time in 66 years that the marque will bid for overall victory.
The IMSA schedule is made up of 11 rounds, including the Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, plus other major US venues such as Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
WATCH | Aston Martin reveals race-ready Valkyrie hypercar
Aston Martin has unveiled the race-ready version of its Valkyrie. Set to compete in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, it will make its official race debut at the Qatar 1,812km on February 28.
The only road-derived hypercar contesting both championships, the Valkyrie features a race-optimised carbon fibre chassis and specially modified, lean-burn version of the Cosworth-built 6.5l naturally aspirated V12 engine fitted to its street-legal sibling.
In stock form this unit revs to 11,000rpm and develops more than 745kW. However, to meet the performance window of the hypercar class and withstand the rigours of top-level long-distance competition, Aston Martin dialled the power output down to 500kW (+/-20kW). The rev limit has also been reduced, a modification that increases combustion efficiency and allows teams to carry less fuel. The torque curve has also been readjusted.
Replacing the road car's seven-speed Ricardo gearbox is an Xtrac seven-speed sequential transmission that sends drive to the rear axle via an AP Racing carbon multi-plate clutch and a mechanical limited-slip differential with externally adjustable preload.
Also fitted is an electric pit-lane pull-away starter motor and mandatory driveshaft torque sensors.
On aerodynamics, Aston Martin said the Valkyrie was developed to meet various regulation homologation criteria. It also adopts quick-change front/rear bodywork, a single-point rapid refuelling coupling, high-speed pneumatic jack system incorporated into the chassis and a driver cockpit optimised for safety, quick access and visibility.
The racing suspension configuration features double wishbones front and rear, with pushrod-actuated torsion bar springs with adjustable side and central dampers. The circuit-spec Valkyrie runs on 18" Michelin Pilot Sport tyres under the series' hypercar regulations. The race car's minimum kerb weight (without driver and fuel) is 1,030kg.
Aston Martin's factory Valkyrie racing campaign is masterminded in WEC and IMSA by US-based The Heart of Racing, which previously ran Aston Martin's Vantage GT3 in both series. The outfit confirmed it will field two cars in the WEC campaign. Drivers Harry Tincknell and Tom Gamble will commandeer the #007 Valkyrie, while the sister #009 car will be driven by Marco Sørensen and Alex Riberas.
Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis will campaign the #23 entry in the IMSA GTP class. Gunn and De Angelis will also join the WEC contenders to complete in the three-driver line-ups at Le Mans.
The WEC season is made up of eight rounds. After the season opener in Qatar, the championship includes European races at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, then Interlagos in Brazil, Cota in Austin, Texas, Fuji in Japan and the finale in Bahrain on November 8. Le Mans is a particularly big deal for Aston Martin as it marks the first time in 66 years that the marque will bid for overall victory.
The IMSA schedule is made up of 11 rounds, including the Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, plus other major US venues such as Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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