The Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar is poised for another significant milestone in its racing journey, making its inaugural sprint race appearance at the prestigious Grand Prix of Long Beach in California this weekend. This event marks round three of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA) and will see the spectacular Valkyrie tackle the demanding 100-minute street circuit.
Sebring Success Sets the Stage: Following a commendable top-ten finish at the grueling Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring last month, which marked the first points finish for a hypercar-regulation built vehicle in IMSA history, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, campaigned by the works Aston Martin THOR team, now faces the unique challenges of the legendary Long Beach street course.
Hypercar Pioneer: The Valkyrie stands out as Aston Martin’s first ‘Le Mans Hypercar’ (LMH) and holds the distinction of being the only car in IMSA’s premier GTP category that is derived from a road-legal hypercar. Furthermore, it is the first LMH car of any kind to compete in IMSA and the sole contender simultaneously participating in both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), having made its debut at the Qatar 1812km in February.
Driver Line-up for Long Beach: The #23 Aston Martin Valkyrie will be piloted by a strong driver pairing this weekend and for the remainder of the IMSA season: Canadian Roman De Angelis, the 2022 IMSA GTD champion, and Ross Gunn from Great Britain, a seasoned race winner in GTD and The Heart of Racing’s first GTD Pro winner at Long Beach in 2022. They previously shared the Valkyrie with Spaniard Alex Riberas, who will now focus on the WEC line-up before returning to IMSA for the season finale at Road Atlanta in October.
****Hybrid Powerhouse (Restricted): Developed collaboratively by Aston Martin and THOR from the Valkyrie production car, the competition version features a race-optimized carbon fiber chassis coupled with a modified 6.5-liter V12 engine that boasts a remarkable 11,000rpm redline and generates over 1000bhp in its standard form. However, to comply with hypercar regulations, the engine’s power output is strictly limited to 500kw (680bhp) for racing.
Aston Martin’s Top-Tier Return: Valkyrie’s entry into the GTP division marks Aston Martin’s return to the top echelon of US sportscar racing for the first time since 2011, a season that saw the marque achieve five outright victories (including one at Long Beach) and seven podium finishes in the American Le Mans Series.
Driver Perspectives: Ross Gunn, driver of the #23 Aston Martin Valkyrie, expressed his anticipation for the Long Beach race, highlighting it as a special event and the first street course for the Valkyrie. He expects the V12’s sound to be “insane” echoing off the buildings and emphasizes the importance of building on their previous performances and continuing to learn about the car. Roman De Angelis echoed this sentiment, noting his excitement for Long Beach as a fan of the event and track, and particularly for it being the first sprint race of the year in the GTP class. He looks forward to partnering with Ross Gunn again and continuing their progress with the Valkyrie.
Team’s Development Focus: Ian James, Team Principal of the Aston Martin THOR Team, stated that they are making “incremental improvements” to the Valkyrie daily. An extended test session after the Sebring race proved “hugely valuable,” leading to significant learning since the start of that race weekend. He acknowledges that Long Beach presents a “completely different challenge” but emphasizes the team’s intensive simulator work and continuous forward momentum.
Manufacturer’s Strategic View: Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport, views Long Beach as another “fascinating test” for the Valkyrie, presenting unique technical demands on the car and drivers in a more confined racing environment. He acknowledges that this phase of the program is focused on data acquisition, making races like Long Beach “vital to the process,” and notes the “enormous progress” being made with each competitive outing.
Vantage GT3 Global Presence: Alongside the Valkyrie’s debut, the latest iteration of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 will also be competing in the GTD category at Long Beach, fielded by The Heart of Racing. The Vantage GT3 has already secured two podium finishes in the opening IMSA rounds. Furthermore, six Aston Martin Vantage GT3s, run by various partner teams, will be participating in the opening round of the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS at Paul Ricard. Additionally, D’station Racing will be competing in the AUTOBACS Super GT Series in Japan with their Aston Martin Vantage GT3, aiming for the GT300 class title after securing Aston Martin’s first victory in the series last year. The Vantage GT3, sharing its mechanical underpinnings with Aston Martin’s focused sportscar, is powered by a potent twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine.
Summary:
- Aston Martin Valkyrie to make its sprint race debut at the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
- Valkyrie is the only hypercar competing in both IMSA and WEC in 2025.
- The #23 Valkyrie will be driven by Roman De Angelis and Ross Gunn.
- Valkyrie features a modified 6.5-liter V12 engine, power limited to 680bhp for racing.
- Aston Martin Vantage GT3 also competing in GTD at Long Beach and in GT World Challenge Europe and Super GT.
Disclaimer: Technical specifications and racing regulations are subject to change. Performance figures are based on available information and may vary. Please consult official IMSA and Aston Martin Racing documentation for the most up-to-date details.
Source : Aston Martin
AI Assistance: Gemini
