This is it: the Valkyrie aiming to win Le Mans with V12 power

This is no ordinary Valkyrie, if such a thing exists: this is the Valkyrie that Aston Martin is sending to Le Mans in June in search of its first overall victory in 66 years. No pressure.

First touted many, many years ago and finally announced back in October 2023, Aston Martin will run two cars in the World Endurance Championship in 2025 – which kicks off in Qatar at the end of the month – plus a third over the pond in IMSA.

Ironically it’s the (checks notes) least powerful Valkyrie ever built, with WEC’s regulations insisting that the 6.5-litre V12 be turned down from its customary 11,000rpm and 1,000bhp+ to a more stately 680bhp.

But in a field of V6s and V8s, a V12 it will remain, with Aston running a modified, lean-burn version of the Cosworth. Because fuel efficiency reasons. Consequently, Aston’s been able to play around with the torque curve.

Though the Valkyrie will be the only Hypercar at Le Mans derived from a road-going vehicle (how do you like them apples, Ferrari?), the detuned engine isn’t the only departure from stock: the seven-speed ‘box from Ricardo has been swapped for an Xtrac transmission, for example, and the Valkyrie also gets a single-point rapid refuelling coupling, high-speed pneumatic jack system a cockpit fine-tuned for a quick exit. Gotta taste that champagne ASAP, right?

And as per the rulebook, it’ll be running on mandated Michelin Pilot Sport 18s instead of its usual Cup 2s.

Naturally, the bodywork has been developed since Adrian Newey first put quill to parchment on the car’s design all those years ago. Of course, Newey is now on the payroll at Aston… wonder if he’s still got that file marked ‘Valkyrie - unfinished bits’?

Harry Tincknell and Tom Gamble will form an all-Brit line-up for Aston’s full WEC campaign, with Marco Sorensen and Alex Riberas sharing duties in the other car. Meanwhile Ross Gunn and Roman de Angelis are charged with executing Aston’s lone IMSA charge: they’ll split off into Aston’s two WEC contenders for Le Mans in June.

“This is a proud moment for Aston Martin,” says CEO Adrian Hallmark. “To be returning to the fight for overall honours at the 24 Hours of Le Mans exists at the very core of our values and marks a key milestone in our motor racing heritage.

“As the only hypercar born from the road to challenge at the top of sports car racing in both the WEC and IMSA, the Valkyrie is an embodiment of our enduring sporting ethos, one that has defined the brand for more than a century.”

Aston’s factory programme will be overseen by The Heart of Racing (THOR), which has previous running a Vantage in the GT3 category.

This will be tougher. Much tougher. Remember Aston will be facing Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, BMW, Alpine, Peugeot… and most of ‘em have been there and done it. Aston hasn’t.

Adam Carter, Aston’s head of endurance motorsport, sees this as a positive. “Of course, we only do it because we want to win,” he explains. “However, we respect the challenge of the events and the competition. They are at a high level, and that’s why we want to compete against them. Fundamentally, it is only worth winning if it’s against strong competition.”

Less than five months to go. Get those ear defenders ordered, pronto.