Aston Martin launches V12 Le Mans hypercar
Aston Martin has launched the car it will enter in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours and World Endurance Championship.
The Valkyrie hypercar will be powered by a V12 6.5-litre engine, instead of the hybrid power employed by many competitors this year.
The British outfit's cars will be run by the Heart of Racing team, and it means the manufacturer joins those who have returned to sports cars following the introduction of the new hypercar class - including Ferrari, Toyota, Peugeot, Alpine, Porsche and Cadillac.
Ford announced it would also return to the top class of racing with its own hypercar from 2027.
A change in the rules in 2021 led to the introduction of hypercars, with teams able to approach the sport with differing design philosophies that allow them to innovate.
Organisers' 'balance of performance' rule limits certain aspects - such as horsepower - and creates a level playing field for teams to win races with strategy on tyres and energy usage.
Two Aston Martin THOR Valkyries will compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, which was won by Ferrari's 499P for the second year in succession in 2024.
The last outright win for Aston Martin at Le Mans came in 1959, with 2025 set to mark the manufacturer's first attempt since 2011 to win at the top class of the race.
Aston Martin will also compete in sports car racing's equivalent IMSA series in America, which includes the Daytona 24 Hours.
Adam Carter, Aston Martin's head of endurance motorsport, said: "The Aston Martin Valkyrie is not just a hypercar; it is an extraordinary fusion of F1 technology and road car mastery.
"Valkyrie is truly built for racing, and its participation in the highest level of world endurance racing will only further cement its technological achievement."
Aston Martin also has a team in the Formula 1 World Championship, with a driver line-up of Spain's Fernando Alonso and Canada's Lance Stroll.
Despite rumours that Alonso could return to race at Le Mans, where he won in 2018 and 2019 for Toyota, the Le Mans line-up sees Britain's Harry Tincknell and Tom Gamble compete in the 007 car, and Denmark's Marco Sorensen in the 009 car with Spain's Alex Riberas.
