Aston Martin Joins WEC and IMSA Racing with Valkyrie Hypercar | Carscoops

      This hypercar is the sole racer equipped with a high-revving, naturally-aspirated V12 engine.

      The vehicle will make its competitive appearance at the Qatar 1812KM on February 28.

      Two Valkyrie Hypercars are set to compete in the WEC, with one also participating in IMSA.

      Similar to its road car counterpart, the racer features a 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated V12 engine.

      This year's 24 Hours of Le Mans promises to be quite significant as the Aston Martin Valkyrie is ready to race, and this unique model will take to the track. Known as the Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar, it will participate in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this season.

      Aston Martin initiated the development of an endurance racing variant of the Valkyrie long before the road version was produced. However, this project was halted in early 2020. It has since been revived, and over 15,000 km of testing has been conducted at race tracks globally. This is the only racing hypercar based on a street-legal model, with its debut scheduled for the Qatar 1812KM on February 28.

      The racer has much in common with the production Valkyrie and the limited AMR Pro, but features an even more striking design. It boasts removable front and rear panels, a high-speed pneumatic jack system, and numerous custom aerodynamic features, including a completely redesigned rear with a new wing and shark fin.

      Perhaps more critical than its eye-catching design is the powertrain. The Valkyrie Hypercar is the only vehicle in the top class of WEC and IMSA that includes a V12 engine. It utilizes the same fundamental 6.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine as the road car. However, while the customer-spec Valkyrie produces over 1,000 hp, this engine will be limited to 680 hp to adhere to hypercar regulations. Aston Martin has modified the engine to operate efficiently and will adjust the torque curve to optimize it for endurance racing.

      Three Valkyries are set to compete.

      Two Valkyries will join this year's WEC season through a partnership with The Heart of Racing. Both WEC vehicles will sport a stunning green livery and will be driven by Marco Sorensen, Tom Gamble, Alex Riberas, and Harry Tincknell. One Valkyrie Hypercar will compete in IMSA, featuring a THOR blue livery and making its debut at the Sebring 12 Hours in March, piloted by Ross Gunn and Roman de Angelis.

      “It’s a great time to be entering the highest level of sports car racing,” said Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s head of Endurance Motorsport. “The ACO, IMSA, and FIA have collaboratively built championships that are gaining popularity. We fully support this initiative, as they have effectively established the format and promoted the series, making this a remarkable era for sports car racing. It’s an opportunity to compete on a global stage in a fair and competitive setting.”