AutoAction
FREE DIGITAL MAGAZINE SIGN UP

Aston Martin announces Le Mans Hypercar program

Aston Martin

By Thomas Miles

Aston Martin will have the licence to thrill in 2025 when it will enter two Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars and return to Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Aston Martin won the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours with the DBR1/300 and the famous British brand will launch another attack on outright honours next year depending on its entry being accepted.

Joining Aston Martin in the project will be Heart of Racing, which have streeted they remain committed to IMSA.

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH will use a modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine originally produced for the Valkyrie road car, which in standard form revs to 11,000rpm and develops over 1000bhp.  The power unit will be enhanced further for Balance of Performance.

Development of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH is already well advanced, with recent on-track evaluation of integral systems taking place at Aston Martin’s Silverstone testing facility and the Portimao circuit in Portugal, while the full track debut approaches.

Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport Adam Carter said Le Mans is in the British brand’s blood.

“You can trace the roots of Aston Martin’s endurance racing back to the earliest days of the brand,” he said.

“Indeed we first raced at Le Mans more than 95 years ago – something no other road-going hypercar manufacturer can say. 

“We are very proud of our association with this wonderful event, and with that in mind, it’s very clear that we are committed to WEC’s hypercar concept and bringing our famous Wings back to the very forefront of international sportscar racing, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“In 2025, with our works team the Heart of Racing, we intend to put two Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars on the grid, to compete alongside a fantastic array of the world’s best sportscar manufacturers, and we are doing all we can to ensure that we can fight at the front of that space. 

“The Valkyrie AMR-LMH programme is on schedule with a significant amount of development taking place behind the scenes and ahead of the car’s track debut later this summer. 

“We then anticipate an intensive period of testing to put miles on the car and learn all we can ahead of its planned homologation in the autumn.”

READ THE LATEST ISSUE OF AUTO ACTION DIGITAL HERE

Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here. For more of the latest motorsport news, subscribe to AUTO ACTION magazine.

Podcast: SVG goes back to back

Shane van Gisbergen has gone back-to-back with a win in Sonoma, while his antipodean mates – Will Brown and Cam Waters – had mixed debuts in the NASCAR Cup Series… but both showed enough to stay on the radar or the US teams looking for the next Giz?

Plus, we’ve got all the latest news on Supercars, F1, IndyCar, and whatever else came to our minds at the time. We also look at the Darwin Supercars and the hypercars at Le Mans for the 24-hour race.

Listen to our latest episode on your podcast app of choice or here