AssetID: 53100966
Headline: Aston Martin Unveil Valkyrie Hypercar That's Heading To Le Mans
Caption: Aston Martin’s high-performance Valkyrie prototype is to take on the ultimate endurance challenge at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2025. With the invaluable support of their endurance racing partner, Heart of Racing (HoR), Aston Martin plans to enter at least one Valkyrie racecar in the top Hypercar class of both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championships (IMSA). This bold endeavor will see the Valkyrie prototype participating in three of the most prestigious sportscar racing events globally: Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman of Aston Martin Lagonda, said: “We have been present at Le Mans since the earliest days, and through those glorious endeavours we succeeded in winning Le Mans in 1959 and our class 19 times over the past 95 years. Now we return to the scene of those first triumphs aiming to write new history with a racing prototype inspired by the fastest production car Aston Martin has ever built.” In the marque's 110th anniversary year, this return to Le Mans with the pinnacle of hypercar technology symbolizes the very essence of competition that defines Aston Martin's DNA. The Heart of Racing team, once the Valkyrie is homologated, will spearhead Aston Martin's programs in both WEC and IMSA. The Valkyrie racecar will be the first purebred hypercar to compete in both championships, setting it apart from its rivals. Ian James, Team Principal of Heart of Racing, expressed his excitement, stating: "It’s a privilege to be able to bring Aston Martin back to the top of endurance racing with the Heart of Racing." Aston Martin's foray into the Hypercar class signifies their presence across all levels of endurance racing, from gentleman racers to the sport's pinnacle. By 2025, they will be the sole manufacturer competing across all aspects of sportscar and GT racing, from Hypercar to GT4, and in the FIA Formula 1® World Championship. Furthermore, Aston Martin unveiled its commitment to developing new GT3 and GT4 cars based on the Vantage platform. These cars will adhere to existing and new GT rule-sets, including the new LMGT3 regulations, set to replace the outgoing GTE class in WEC by 2024. The new GT3 challenger will be available for purchase, enabling existing partners and prospective customers to compete in various championships starting in the 2024 racing season.
Keywords: aston martin,motor racing,motoring,le mans,feature,photo,video,hypercar,cars,racing
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