Aston Martin’s return to Le Mans is not new, but what it brings with it is. The British automaker showed this week that two Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars will compete in every race of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). At least, that’s the plan.
The FIA and Le Mans organisers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), have jointly announced that all brands will have to include at least two cars in the Elegance Hypercar category from next year. Even with two cars in condition to start, entrants still want to be accepted.
“The Valkyrie AMR-LMH programme is on track, with significant progression in the scenes and ahead of the car’s debut on track later this summer,” said Adam Carter, director of Aston Martin Endurance Motorsport. “We’re doing everything we can to make sure we can fight at the front of [the grid]. “
Aston Martin is no stranger to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The automaker first raced more than 95 years ago and won in 2020. However, those victories came in the LM GTE Pro and Am classes, which they raced with Vantage AMR. The last time Aston won the overall race was in 1959, when Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori were at the helm. Yes, that Carroll Shelby.
For its 2025 return, Aston Martin and its factory partner Heart of Racing will include racing-optimised Valkyrie AMR-LMH with a modified version of the naturally aspirated 6. 5-litre Cosworth V12 engine that meets production specifications. The engine produces more than 1,000 horsepower and can rev up to 11,000 rpm. Other adjustments will be made, specifically to the regulations for the balance of functionality and regulatory requirements. The Valkyrie’s battery-electric hybrid formula used in the production car will also be removed from WEC-spec cars, as is the case with the Valkyrie AMR Pro race cars.
Power racing fans in the United States will also be able to see the Valkyrie AMR-LMH. Aston Martin and Heart of Racing plan to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as a component of the series’ Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class.
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