Aston Martin Valkyrie debut in 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship

Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar crosses the finish line on its global debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) opener – the Qatar 1812km
Marco Sørensen, Alex Riberas and Roman De Angelis complete 295 laps as they finish 17^th in 10 Hour race
“Huge amount learned” from debut competition weekend for Valkyrie
Valkyrie is the only road-born hypercar to contest the world’s two premier sportscar series, WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

1 March, 2025, Lusail, Qatar: The all-new Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar crossed the finish line on its global debut in the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Qatar 1812km at Lusail International Circuit, marking a solid first step on its historic quest to the summit of sportscar racing glory.

The Aston Martin THOR Team’s #009 Valkyrie, driven by triple FIA WEC title-winner Marco Sørensen (DEN), LM GT3 and IMSA GTD Pro winner Alex Riberas (ESP) and former IMSA GTD champion Roman De Angelis (CDN), completed 295 laps on its way to an eventual 17th position.

The debut event for Valkyrie was always going to provide a steep learning curve in a grueling 10-hour race. But while a points finish eluded Valkyrie on its maiden competitive outing, the British-built hypercar showed encouraging race-pace during several stints completed by the #009 car and sister #007 entry, providing strong clues to its future potential in the world’s most prestigious endurance competition.

“We knew this was going to be a ‘learning weekend’ for Valkyrie,” said Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Adam Carter. “And we’ve encountered some of the ‘teething issues’ you would associate with a new racing programme. That said, we have been encouraged by the race pace both cars showed during their stints. We saw plenty of indications throughout our time during the Qatar Prologue and the opening race that give us cause to believe we can be competitive as the season matures. We’ve learned a huge amount over this past week, gathered considerable data, and this gives us plenty to build on as we look ahead to Valkyrie’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at Sebring in two weeks’ time.”

The two Valkyries comfortably tracked the pace of the Hypercar class in the early stages of the event and settled into an accomplished rhythm. And while the #009 was forced to pit to replace a missing door in the second hour, and the #007, driven by British trio Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell was eventually forced to withdraw from the race with a transmission issue, when on-track, both cars were able to deliver lap times comparable with competitors running at the front of the pack.

Aston Martin THOR Team Principal Ian James said: “We knew this first race was going to be tough. But the team has gelled so well, worked so hard, and we saw real evidence of what the car is capable of as we start to apply the lessons we learn on this exciting journey. It was amazing to see how we measured against the competition already with our race pace, and I think inside the team we really have the feeling that we can fight with our rival teams and manufacturers who are well established in the championship. We also know we have the most learning to do and the most to come from our package, which is right at the beginning of its development curve and understanding. There is much to be excited about.”

The first ‘Le Mans Hypercar’ (LMH) to be produced by Aston Martin, Valkyrie is the only car in the WEC’s premier category derived from a road-legal hypercar. Its global debut, masterminded by the works Aston Martin THOR team in Qatar, begins an historic season for the British challenger, which will be the only LMH to compete in both the FIA WEC and in North America’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Directed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies and The Heart of Racing, and bred from the Valkyrie production model, the competition version blends a race-optimised carbon fibre chassis with a modified 6.5-litre, Cosworth-developed, V12 naturally aspirated engine that revs to 11,000rpm and produces over 1000bhp in standard form, but adheres to a strict 500kw (680bhp) power limit as per hypercar regulations.

Harry Tincknell, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “We learned an incredible amount through the whole Prologue and race week. Of course, we would have liked to get to the end with the #007, and have everything perfect, but that is not realistic in motor racing. But we have seen enough this weekend to know we will get there soon enough. The positives are that during the race the car was competitively fast, and our pace was really strong as night fell. We knew ultimately this weekend wasn’t about winning, but about learning, and in that sense we’ve come away from this event with a victory.”

Tom Gamble, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster weekend. There is a such a big build-up in Qatar. It’s actually been really positive, we have learned so much this weekend and that was our main objective, both about the car and how the team worked together. In order for us to eventually be winning, we need to be learning and improving things, and there are a lot of things we can work on and improve before we go to Imola – I’m already looking forward to hitting the track there. To be a part of the Valkyrie debut has been incredible and a huge honour, it’s going to be a really exciting year.”

Ross Gunn, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It feels great to have completed my first competitive stints in the Valkyrie. We worked through several options with the tyres and improved the car through the weekend, and also from the Prologue, which is very positive. We picked up a lot of miles over the last week and that is really important for our learning going forward into the next round of the WEC and also into the 12 Hours of Sebring, our first race in IMSA. It’s a very exciting time to be not only an Aston Martin driver but also a member of this team. I am very proud of everyone’s efforts to get us here; let’s keep moving forward.”

Marco Sørensen, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It is very special to finish the first race. Yes of course we have a lot to learn, and we need to make sure we improve and have less issues – but all this kind of stuff is normal for a new programme. It feels like we are moving forwards all the time and I think we showed with our race pace that the car has a great deal of very exciting potential that we will unlock.”

Alex Riberas, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It was definitely one of those races where we didn’t really know what to expect coming into it. We knew it was important to get a car home within 90% of the winner’s finishing distance and we did that, so that’s a big box ticked. There are a lot of things we have discovered that we can now work on ahead of the next race in Imola. I think we have shown today that we have an exciting road ahead of us.”

Roman De Angelis, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “Pretty busy day for the Aston Martin THOR Team in Qatar. It didn’t go perfectly but it was a pretty special moment to get to cross the finish line for the first time in the Valkyrie programme. It was also a special moment for the team to get a car home. We’ve learned a lot, and it’s a long programme with a long road ahead. Looking forward to the progression and it’s only up from here.”

PARTNER NEWS: VANTAGE RECORDS STRONG DOUBLE POINTS FINISH IN WEC OPENER

Vantage makes strong start to the 2025 WEC season in Qatar 1812km
The Heart of Racing team a victory contender throughout race on run to sixth
The Racing Spirit of Léman records points finish on WEC Aston Martin debut

Aston Martin Racing partner teams The Heart of Racing (THOR) and Racing Spirit of Léman (RSL) recorded a double points finish – which because of the race’s 10-hour duration counted for 1.5 times the regular amount – for the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship; the Qatar 1812km.

Following a brilliant quadruple stint from THOR team principal Ian James (GBR), the #27 Vantage was firmly in the hunt from early in the race, and by the time the 2024 class title contender handed over to his team-mate Zacharie Robichon (CDN), the #27 car was in the hunt for the class lead.

Sadly, a penalty for a pitstop infringement delayed the Aston Martin, but still Robichon and works driver Mattia Drudi (ITA) pushed on with an off-set strategy that would have reaped a podium had a late-race Full Course Yellow intervened. Instead, the crew had to settle for sixth place and 12 points.

RSL finished ninth after a trouble-free stint for Derek DeBoer (USA) was followed by a strong turn for series debutant Eduardo Barrichello (BRA). Works driver Valentin Hasse-Clot (FRA) brought the #10 Vantage home ninth in class to earn three points.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport: “Both Aston Martin Racing partner teams showed strongly at Qatar. THOR picked up where it left off last season with a performance that had the potential to reward Vantage with another WEC podium. RSL, on the team’s WEC debut with Vantage, ran a sound race and was a points contender throughout. The performance is another example of the Vantage’s extraordinary agility in all race conditions. We can look forward to an exciting season ahead.”

Aston Martin’s Valkyrie and Vantage GT3 return to action in the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Sebring, in Florida, on 12-15 March.

Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar set for global race debut at FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) opener – the Qatar 1812km
Valkyrie is the only road-born hypercar to contest the world’s two premier sportscar series, WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The Aston Martin THOR Team takes the Wings back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans to fight for its first overall victory since 1959
Triple FIA GT world champion Marco Sørensen and rising star Tom Gamble join Alex Riberas and Harry Tincknell in full-season, two-car, line-up
Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis confirmed to compete in Qatar ahead of IMSA programme start at Sebring

25 February, 2025, Lusail, Qatar: A thrilling new chapter in the Aston Martin story begins next weekend as the British ultra-luxury performance brand gives the all-new Valkyrie hypercar its debut in the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Qatar 1812km at Lusail International Circuit.

Valkyrie positions Aston Martin – present in the FIA WEC every year since the series’ inception in 2012, and one of its most successful manufacturers with 11 championship titles – in the top class of world championship sportscar racing for the first time since the AMR1 Group C challenger of 1989. It also provides the opportunity to challenge for a first outright victory at the world’s greatest endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, since Carroll Shelby (USA) and Roy Salvadori (GBR) triumphed in the Aston Martin DBR1 in 1959.

The driver roster for the two-car programme features a fascinating blend of experience and youth within the Aston Martin works driver ranks. The #007 Valkyrie comprises an all-British line-up as Harry Tincknell, the 2016 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) overall champion and 2020 Le Mans LMGT3 winner, is joined by rising star Tom Gamble, ELMS LMP3 title-winner in 2020, for the full, eight-race, season. Ross Gunn, a race-winner in IMSA’s GTD and GTD Pro categories in each of the past four seasons, joins the duo for the longer-distance races, including the Qatar 1812km and Le Mans.

Marco Sørensen (DEN), three times an FIA WEC title-winner in GT classes, is joined in the sister #009 Valkyrie by long-time THOR racer Alex Riberas (ESP); a GTD Pro winner in IMSA in each of the past three seasons as well as part of the team’s FIA WEC LMGT3-winning line-up at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) last year. Roman De Angelis, the 2022 IMSA GTD Champion, strengthens the line-up for the longer-distance races, including the Qatar 1812km next weekend and Le Mans.

Harry Tincknell, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “I’m massively looking forward to Qatar, to get to race the new Valkyrie Hypercar for the first time and to return to Aston Martin. The world is waiting with anticipation to see the car ‘in the flesh’ and it’s amazing to be a part of a programme that has generated such interest. We know we’re starting two or three years behind our competition so the learning curve is going to be steep. Everyone’s worked so hard and we’re all ready for what is such a big moment for Aston Martin.”

Tom Gamble, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “I’m very excited for the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship in Qatar and have been counting down the days since I found out I was going to be a part of this incredible Aston Martin Valkyrie project. There’s a lot of learning to do but we have an amazing team of people behind us, so hopefully, come the race, we can be in a strong position to challenge for a solid result on our debut. It’s a dream come true to make my Hypercar debut with Aston Martin THOR Team, so I’m going to love every minute.”

Ross Gunn, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “This is a huge moment for Aston Martin and THOR. The debut of the Valkyrie has been hugely anticipated and as a driver who has been with Aston Martin for 10 years, this is a giant step for my career. It’s great to be back in the FIA WEC for the first round of the championship. We’re here to learn as much as we can and try to have as strong a package as possible heading into the 10-hour race.”

Marco Sørensen, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “I’m looking forward to getting to Qatar, seeing the Valkyrie and the team in the garage and bringing this whole programme forwards. Qatar is the opening round and we’re going to be on a steep learning curve, but we have the right people on board so there’s only one way to go and that’s to get everything started. I’m proud to be a part of this journey coming up so let’s make it a great one.”

Alex Riberas, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “Making my Hypercar debut with Aston Martin THOR Team in Qatar is a huge milestone for me and for everybody involved in this project. It’s been an incredible journey of many months and a lot of long days developing this race car. Now we finally get to see it race on the world stage for the first time. It’s a privilege to be involved and I know that Qatar will leave me with memories that I’ll cherish for a very long time.”

Roman De Angelis, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It’s hard to explain all the emotions I have heading to the first event for the Aston Martin THOR Team Hypercar programme. I’ve been super-fortunate to be a part of some of the early testing and have spent a year hoping to be in the position I’m now in. So much effort has gone into this programme from all involved and we’re all looking forward to making our mark in Qatar.”

Ian James, Team Principal, Aston Martin THOR Team: “To be running at world championship-level with a manufacturer like Aston Martin, with the car acknowledged as the ultimate hypercar – and the only one that has gone from road to track – is a ‘pinch me’ moment. It’s Year One and we have to be realistic about what we can achieve so our goal initially is just to go out there and get better every time, but if I didn’t think we could reach the summit of the mountain, we wouldn’t be doing it. I’m confident in the abilities of all involved and our ambitions are incredibly high.”

Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport: “The Valkyrie Hypercar is a moment in time in automotive history, and as part of that, it should race to underline and cement its place in history and its technological achievement. By adhering to the Hypercar rules, it has a very strong association to the DNA of the Valkyrie road car, featuring at its heart the same V12 power unit and the iconic Aston Martin design presence. The competition in the FIA WEC is of such a high level and we have a lot of respect for that, but it’s why we want to be here. Of course we want Valkyrie to win, but winning is only worth it when you beat strong competition. With the roles that both THOR, Aston Martin Performance Technologies (AMPT) and partners have played in developing the car, we can be confident that we have all the right ingredients in place.”

PARTNER NEWS: VANTAGE SET TO FIGHT FOR LMGT3 TITLE WITH THE HEART OF RACING AND RACING SPIRIT OF LÉMAN

Vantage set to fight for 12^th FIA WEC crown during 2025 season
The Heart of Racing continues race-winning LMGT3 programme in 2025
Aston Martin works driver Mattia Drudi prepares for first FIA WEC campaign
Racing Spirit of Leman ready for FIA WEC debut at Qatar 1812km
Valentin Hasse Clot one of three Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy winners competing at Lusail, joining Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis

While Valkyrie contests the Hypercar division, Aston Martin will also battle for victory in the LMGT3 category as the latest version of the Vantage GT3 will be fielded by 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship race winner The Heart of Racing (THOR) and by series newcomer Racing Spirit of Leman.

Sharing the mechanical architecture of the ultra-luxury Vantage road car, the Vantage GT3, which triumphed at last year’s 24 Hours of Spa – the world’s most prestigious GT3-only event – is built around Aston Martin’s proven bonded aluminium chassis and powered by its fearsome twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine.

Fresh from a GTD-class podium finish at January’s Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship, the US-based THOR team prepares for a second full season of WEC competition with a highly-accomplished driver line-up.

Team Principal Ian James (GBR) – a multiple sportscar champion in North America and an LMGT3 winner at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) last year – will be partnered by 2021 IMSA GTD title winner and 2023 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) GTE champion Zacharie Robichon (CDN) and by Aston Martin works driver Mattia Drudi (ITA), the 2023 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint champion and a member of last year’s 24 Hours of Spa-winning line-up.

Joining THOR for a first FIA WEC season is Racing Spirit of Léman. The Swiss team won the 2023 Le Mans Cup GT3 crown with Aston Martin works driver Valentin Hasse Clot (FRA), who remains as part of the line-up for his first full season in the series.

Hasse Clot is the third winner of the Aston Martin Racing Academy to race an Aston Martin in the 2025 FIA WEC, joining Valkyrie drivers Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis. He will share with Derek DeBoer (USA), continuing a partnership that brought the pair podium finishes in last year’s ELMS, and Brazilian Eduardo Barrichello – son of 13-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Rubens Barrichello. Eduardo was a title contender in Brazil’s Stock Car V8 Series in 2024 before switching to GT racing this year.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport: “Vantage, in its various forms, is Aston Martin’s most successful racing car; 11 FIA WEC titles so far providing clear evidence of the strength of the road car platform from which all versions of the race car are derived. With two strong partner teams in The Heart of Racing and Racing Spirit of Leman, each of which feature Aston Martin works drivers in their line-ups, we have everything we need to challenge at the front across the season.”

How to watch
The Qatar 1812km Qatar will begin at 1400 local time (+3 Hours GMT) on Friday, 28 February, 2025. Final practice, qualifying and the race will be broadcast live on FIA WEC TV online with a choice of English or French-language commentary and via selected broadcasters at a national level.