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Aston Martin’s Le Mans U-turn adds to WEC manufacturer boom
Aston Martin will compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2025 with its Aston Martin Valkyrie, as part of the World Endurance Championship. The program, originally planned for 2021, has been reactivated. Aston Martin initially suggested that the project’s commercial potential was diminished by the introduction of LMDh cars in the Hypercar class. However, they will now race the original street car, designed by Adrian Newey and Miles Nurnberger. Aston Martin will join other manufacturers like BMW, Lamborghini, and Alpine, racing against Toyota, Cadillac, Ferrari, Porsche, and Peugeot at Le Mans.
The Valkyrie AMR Pro, powered by a 6.5-liter V12 developed with Cosworth, will not use the road version’s hybrid system. Recruitment and planning for the project have started at Aston Martin’s AMR Technology Campus. Their goal is to develop a competition prototype for the WEC that meets the performance standards of its competitors. Aston Martin’s return to Le Mans will mark their first factory effort in sportscar racing since 2011 when the AMR-One LMP1 car failed. Aston Martin CEO Lawrence Stroll said their return is driven by their pursuit of excellence in performance and their rich racing history.
Source: The Race
