Since Canada’s Lawrence Stroll took over Aston Martin, the Gaydon, England-based firm has, well, I want to say “grown a pair,” but I’m probably better off saying it’s “been more aggressive in its product portfolio.” Whatever you want to call its renewed vigour, it’s stolen F1 aerodynamicist extraordinaire Adrian Newey away from Red Bull Racing; is attempting the same with four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen; and now, it’s threatening to take a road car, the Valkyrie hypercar, to Le Mans in the top echelon of endurance racing, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

It will also contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2025, which makes it, according to the boast prevalent throughout the company’s press announcement, “the only road-derived hypercar contesting the WEC [and] IMSA championships.”

For purists, another rallying point will be that the Valkyrie will mount its challenge the old-fashioned way, powered by a ginormous 6.5 litres of naturally-aspirated V12 which, in street trim, spins to an amazing 11,000 rpm and, in so doing, produces more than 1,000 horsepower street-legal horsepower.

Hypercar racing regulations, meanwhile, are limited to 500 kilowatts or 680 hp (yes, the race car will be noticeably less powerful than what you can run on public roads!) which means Aston Martin will now focus on reliability and fuel economy, adopting “lean-burn” combustion chambers to conserve fuel. Nonetheless, the company says it’s sticking with the V12 because it “offers clear performance benefits,” while also matching the Aston Martin aesthetic for a pure racing solution.

“Running lean to reduce the amount of fuel you are carrying to deliver the required stint energy is important,” says Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport. “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.”

Indeed, that’s not the only reduction in performance necessary to take the Valkyrie racing. So, while there are safety regulations requiring the development of quick-change front and rear bodywork; a single-point rapid-refuelling coupling; and a driver cockpit optimized for safety, quick access, and visibility, the racing Valkyrie will also run on 18-inch wheels wrapped in the Michelin Pilot Sport tires mandatory under Hypercar-class regulations, which are smaller than the 20-inch (front) and 21-inch (rear) behemoths that adorn the road-going version.

As for the “why?” and “why now?” behind the decision to go racing, Carter says that “Of course, we only do it because we want to win.“ But he also emphasizes that it’s a great time to be joining the pinnacle of sports-car racing—and an “opportunity to compete on the global stage in a fair and competitive environment.”

To that end, the company’s engaged a virtual who’s-who of endurance racing to drive the World Endurance, starting with Aston development driver Harry Tincknell, and with Tom Gamble, Marco Sørensen, Alex Riberas — premier WEC racing veterans all — filling out the roster for the two cars the company will field in the Hypercar class. In the IMSA series, only one car will be competing, piloted by Ross Gunna and Canada’s own Roman De Angelis.

If you’re looking to see the hyper-Valkyrie in action, WEC season starts in Qatar, moves on to Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, is followed by the 12 Hours of Le Mans in June; then Interlagos in Brazil; COTA in Austin, Texas; and Fuji in Japan, with the finale in Bahrain on November 8. The IMSA series, meanwhile, includes the famed Sebring 12 Hours as well as the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, plus other major races at Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, and, of course, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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