Aston Martin commits Valkyrie to 2020-2021 WEC

AS IT celebrates the 60th anniversary of its victory at the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, Aston Martin said it would enter “at least two works Valkyrie racecars” in the 2020-2021 World Endurance Championship (WEC).

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is included in the WEC rounds.

Aston Martin’s announcement came after the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s decision to introduce hypercars to the top category of the WEC.

Aston Martin said it will field its Valkyrie hypercars specially developed for the 2020-2021 WEC season, including the 2021 Le Mans.

The newly confirmed hypercar regulations in WEC, according to Aston Martin, are designed to allow race-prepared derivatives of the world’s fastest road cars to “fight at the forefront of world sportscar racing.” In line with this, the carmaker said the Valkyrie racecar will draw on the technologies of the road car and its track-only AMR Pro variant.

The racecar will be powered by a bespoke, high-revving, normally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 placed within a lightweight carbon-fiber structure. The car will feature F1-inspired aerodynamic technology.

Aston Martin said the Valkyrie is the combined vision of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey, Aston Martin EVP and chief creative officer Marek Reichman and Aston Martin VP and chief special operations officer David King. It was created from a technical collaboration among Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and project partner AF Racing.

In a statement, King called the WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as the “ultimate challenge” for the Valkyrie. He added the next stage in the car’s development is 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,” King said.