Less than two hours after the new regulations had been officially made known, Aston Martin announced that the British marque will enter at least two works Valkyrie hypercars, 60 years after its only outright win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Valkyrie will race the 2020-21 World Endurance Championship, which ends with the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The racing version of the Aston Martin Valkyrie has what it takes to make a bid for victory. The hypercar will be fitted with a specially-designed 6.5-litre V12 engine.
“The FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans represent the ultimate challenge for the Aston Martin Valkyrie – the world’s most extreme hypercar”, said Aston Martin VP and Chief Special Operations Officer David King. “Designed and built with the purpose of pushing boundaries on the road, it’s natural to conclude that the next stage in its development would be to measure its capabilities on the track. I can think of no better way to do that than to compete in a world championship and the most prestigious and famous race of all.”
“Le Mans has always been about technological diversity”, he adds. “The ACO is good at offering something for everyone. Balancing performance won’t be easy, but it’s in the right spirit. We’re very pleased to be able to fight for the top honours again. It has always been our dream. The new regulations are a licence to dream.”
“David Brown came here in 1959, with a car and a team of drivers capable of winning. We intend to do the same in 2021”, concluded Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO. “The Aston Martin Valkyrie is primed for such a challenge and sits perfectly within the ACO’s new ‘hypercar’ rule framework. Bringing to bear all of our previous experience and knowledge of competing at the top levels of motorsport, we embark on this most ambitious project with the necessary ingredients for success. What could be more evocative than the wail of an Aston Martin V12 leading the charge into the night on the Mulsanne straight? ”
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