24h Le Mans
Aston Martin’s Hypercar programme is entering a new phase. At Silverstone, the British manufacturer ran a development version of its Valkyrie Hypercar to explore new avenues of performance. It was an important step ahead of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) return in 2027, with the 95th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (9–13 June 2027) firmly in its sights.
The Aston Martin Valkyrie continues to evolve. Aston Martin THOR Team recently conducted a test session dedicated to an upgraded version of its Hypercar at Silverstone. Driven by Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell, the development Valkyrie allowed the British team to evaluate several technical developments and gather valuable data. After 18 months of competition, Aston Martin is now looking to build on its deeper understanding of the car to open a new chapter in its Hypercar programme.
Silverstone was no random choice. Home of the British Grand Prix and a true heartland of British motorsport, the circuit is also located close to Aston Martin’s AMR Technology Campus. In 2027, it will return to the FIA WEC calendar for the first time since 2019, hosting the 6 Hours of Silverstone from 23 to 25 April.
For Aston Martin THOR Team, the session was therefore both a test and a dress rehearsal. The team worked on different areas of performance with a Valkyrie whose characteristics are now better understood after its first two seasons of competition.
“We are right at the beginning of this journey,” explains Adam Carter, Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Motorsport. After 18 months spent observing, measuring and understanding the Valkyrie’s behaviour in racing conditions, the manufacturer can now begin looking for where further gains can be made.
This approach comes as the Valkyrie has already shown clear progress in 2026. In the FIA WEC, both Valkyries scored points at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, finishing sixth and ninth. In the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the British prototype has secured six top-10 finishes from seven races, including a second place on the road for Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis.
The Valkyrie is therefore no longer simply a newcomer to the Hypercar class. It is beginning to follow an upward trajectory.
At Silverstone, Aston Martin THOR Team was therefore looking for new answers. The data gathered will now help shape the manufacturer’s thinking about the next evolution of the Valkyrie.
“Some of the developments we tried today will fuel our thinking as we consider the technical direction we go next with Valkyrie, explains Ian James, Aston Martin THOR Team Principal. There’s more to come.”
The phrase perfectly sums up the situation. The Valkyrie has already taken its first steps at the highest level. It is now entering a phase where every detail can make a difference.
And in 2027, those details will take on a particular significance. The FIA WEC’s return to Silverstone will give Aston Martin its first opportunity to put on a show for its home fans with its Hypercar. Then comes the event that every endurance racing enthusiast already has in mind: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, from 9 to 13 June 2027.
The Valkyrie will have another story to tell. That of a Hypercar born for the road, transformed for racing and now committed to a constant pursuit of performance. A story that, clearly, is only just beginning.
