Aston Martin is gearing up for an exciting return to Le Mans. The British luxury carmaker is reportedly developing a motorsport version of its Valkyrie hypercar for 2025.
In 2018, we world caught wind of plans for Valkyrie's successor to lead Aston Martin's return to the Le Mans LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) class.
At that time, reports hinted at a mid-engined "son of Valkyrie" derived from the road-going variant and produced in partnership with Red Bull Racing. Those plans came to a halt soon after, but both parties are now reportedly back in action.
Recent reports also suggest Aston Martin is actively exploring a partnership with Heart of Racing, a US-based racing team specializing in GT class competitions. Although the deal has yet to be finalized, it will likely go official soon.
The return to the LMH class presents Aston Martin with an opportunity to claim its first outright Le Mans victory since the triumph of the DBR1 in 1959.
Track-bred origins
The Valkyrie Le Mans Hypercar project traces its roots back to the original Valkyrie, a limited-production hypercar born from the collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing.
The Valkyrie's DNA is inherently tied to the racetrack, making it a prime candidate for Le Mans glory. What makes the Valkyrie even more intriguing is its remarkable lap times. This hypercar was engineered to conquer the 8.5-mile (13.68-km) Le Mans circuit in a blistering three minutes and 20 seconds - at par with some of the quickest Le Mans contenders.
As for power, the hybrid Valkyrie combines the potent V12 engine and an electric motor, churning out nearly 840 kW and 900 Nm of torque. All this gets coursed through the rear wheels by a seven-speed automated manual transmission.
Racing in the LMH class
Aston Martin boasts a rich history at the Circuit de la Sarthe, dating back to its maiden Le Mans entry in 1928. The brand peaked in 1959 when the legendary DBR1 clinched an overall victory.
The carmaker most recently fielded its Vantage Sports car at the centennial-edition Le Mans, coming out with a podium finish in LMGTE Am class.
The decision to compete in the LMH class at Le Mans signifies Aston Martin's higher motorsport ambitions. This competition level allows manufacturers to craft hybrid prototype racers subject to Balance of Performance rules to ensure fair competition.
Rivals in this category include the likes of Toyota, Peugeot, and Ferrari, with the latter's 499P Le Mans Hypercar most recently tasting victory at this year's race.
Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin, has consistently expressed his interest in the LMh class, stating, "We fully intend to go back to racing other than in F1. We've never stopped racing in GT3 and GT4, and we won [the GTE Pro class at] Le Mans two years ago. That program will continue and be enhanced... We are in discussions to go back to Le Mans," he told AutoCar in 2022.