Developed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies in partnership with US team The Heart of Racing, the Valkyrie AMR-LMH

performed a shakedown and an initial assessment last week. Drivers Darren Turner, Mario Farnbacher and Harry Tincknell were at the wheel of the British Hypercar.

The shakedown will be followed by a full development programme to prepare the car for FIA homologation this autumn, ready to race in 2025. Heart of Racing will be entering two Valkyrie AMR-LMHs in the FIA WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport, said: “The Valkyrie AMR-LMH sets its own standard as a thoroughbred endurance competition car.  It is a pure, leading edge racing machine, and while it is very early in the testing cycle, from what we have witnessed so far, we are satisfied that it is achieving the targets and criteria we have set out for it to accomplish.”

European tour this summer

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH is fitted with a modified version of the Cosworth RA 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine. In its standard version, the engine torque is 11,000 rpm with an output of over 1,000 hp. The powertrain has been improved and adjusted to fit the Hypercar class performance range. It has also been developed to cope with the constraints of endurance racing. The Heart of Racing, which recently set up its FIA WEC headquarters in Silverstone, near Aston Martin Performance Technologies, is responsible for developing the car. The Valkyrie will be tested on circuits throughout the UK and Europe this summer, and performance will be the main focus.

The Heart of Racing Team Principal Ian James said: “The first runs for the Valkyrie AMR-LMH have been an immensely proud moment in the programme. The birth of this project has been a couple of years in the making, so to get it to the track and to see it going around in the flesh, feels momentous for The Heart of Racing. We’re looking forward to the journey ahead – it’s a steep hill to climb for everyone involved in this project. We are at the pinnacle of sportscar racing, the competitors are formidable, and they have been doing it a long time. [...] We know we are going up against the best, so we intend to represent Aston Martin at the same level. I believe, from what we have seen so far, and with the DNA of where this car came from, we have the right tools to be able to do this successfully.”

With the Hypercar entry, Aston Martin will be the only manufacturer to compete across the board in sportscar racing – from Hypercar to GT4 – as well as in the FIA Formula One championship.
See the gallery below for pictures of the shakedown.