Aston Martin’s epic comeback: Valkyrie Hypercar set to dominate the racing world again!

After being on hold for over three years, there’s a buzz around the Aston Martin Valkyrie Le Mans Hypercar. It’s speculated to mark a return to the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship by 2025. This revival comes as Aston Martin and the US-based team, Heart of Racing, intensify their collaboration which has been making waves in the GT sectors of both IMSA and WEC.

Sources report that the two powerhouses, with backing from computer games magnate Gabe Newell, are nearing a deal to bring this vehicle, originally set for a 2021 debut, onto the racetrack.

While the final agreement isn’t yet inked, insiders hint that it could be mere weeks before it’s sealed. Aston Martin has been proactive, engaging with suppliers and placing key personnel to ensure the program’s success. Notably, Adam Carter, the former engineering director of Williams Formula 1, joined the Aston Martin Performance Technologies division earlier this year.

While Aston Martin remains tight-lipped about the Valkyrie LMH resurrection, they emphasized their dedication to sports car racing. A spokesperson mentioned their appreciation for the growth of the Hypercar class, citing the centenary Le Mans 24 Hours as a sterling example.

Hints about the future plans come from Heart of Racing team principal, Ian James. “We’ve never hidden our aspiration to climb to the pinnacle of international sports car racing,” he commented. Yet, he emphasized that no formal agreements have been settled.

Heart of Racing, operating from Florida, has broadened its scope with Aston Martin in the WEC this year, having already tasted success with the 2022 GT Daytona title and a victory at the Daytona 24 Hours.

Regarding the Valkyrie racer’s development, it is believed that Multimatic Motorsport would maintain its lead role, guided by the AMPT division located at Aston Martin F1 team’s new Silverstone headquarters.

Interestingly, the Valkyrie race car’s concept seems to remain relatively consistent. It’s slated to be powered by the 6.5-litre V12, created in collaboration with Cosworth, and will forgo the rear-axle hybrid system seen in its commercial variant. This design was featured in the AMR Pro track day Valkyrie, which integrated technology from the yet-to-be-launched racer.

Aston Martin had initially capitalized on the original LMH regulations, which welcomed manufacturers to utilize a road-worthy hypercar base. However, the program’s financial feasibility came into question with the integration of LMP2-based LMDh cars into the WEC Hypercar division. The Valkyrie program was shelved shortly after the LMDh announcement in January 2020.

The program’s revival hints became stronger when Lawrence Stroll, after acquiring the British brand, hinted at Aston’s potential return to high-level Le Mans races.

It’s worth noting that Aston Martin has been missing from the top tier at Le Mans since 2011, with their AMR-One LMP1. The previous foray with the Lola-based DBR1/2 P1 coupe, managed by the Prodrive-run Aston Martin Racing operation, is unrelated to the Valkyrie project.

All in all, for racing enthusiasts, the return of Aston Martin’s Valkyrie promises to be an exhilarating chapter in motorsport history.