Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH hits race track for the first time

MANILA: For the first time ever, the new Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercar has hit the race track. 

According to the British luxury car maker, the new race vehicle will undergo development testing following its on-track debut. The Heart of Racing team, which previously won the LMGTE class of the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans with Aston Martin, is handling the necessary shakedown runs and multi-circuit preparations for the car. 

Once it completes the necessary steps mentioned above, it will become the first hypercar to compete simultaneously at the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC) and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. 

Specifically, two examples will enter next year’s WEC, while a lone unit will compete at the 2025 IMSA. 

In addition, the Valkyrie AMR-LMH is likewise the only vehicle based on a road-legal model in the two aforementioned racing series. 

Aston Martin is also betting on the race car to achieve overall victory at next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. For reference, the last time an Aston Martin vehicle won the said race was back in 1959. 

Spec-wise, the Gaydon-headquartered carmaker is mum on detailed specifications. However, it did share that the car uses a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 Cosworth-produced engine, which could develop up to 1,000 brake horsepower at 11,000 revolutions per minute. The powerful hypercar also uses a carbon fiber chassis optimized for racing. 

“The first runs for the Valkyrie AMR-LMH have been an immensely proud moment in the program. 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,” The Heart of Racing Team Principal Ian James said. 

Per the official website of Aston Martin Manila, its local offerings include the DBX, Vantage, DB11, DBS, and Valhalla. Interestingly, the Valkyrie is also listed on the marque’s site. 

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