Insight: How Aston Martin Prepared the Valkyrie AMR-LMH for its Racing Debut

Sportscar365 explores how Aston Martin worked towards its highly anticipated LMH debut…

When the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH makes its competitive debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship opener in Qatar on Feb. 28, it will mark a new chapter in one of the most eventful tales in recent endurance sports car racing history.

It certainly hasn’t been smooth sailing for one of the most highly anticipated cars of its generation. The story is well-documented at this point. After initially committing to race the Valkyrie when the new top-class ruleset was announced in 2019, the project was put on ice in 2020. That was it, for years, until Heart of Racing Team came along.

With backing from the team co-founded by Ian James and Gabe Newell, best known as the co-founder of Valve Corporation, the project was revived and lofty targets were set. A dual campaign, taking on both WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, was announced. Now, with a driver roster in place and the Qatar debut mere weeks away, Valkyrie’s big day is closer than ever.

When the likes of Harry Tincknell, Marco Sorensen and Alex Riberas turn their first laps in anger at the Lusail International Circuit, they’ll do so in a car that is distinctly different from its Hypercar counterparts.

While its 6.5-liter, Cosworth-built V12 engine and lack of hybrid technology set the Valkyrie apart, the most significant difference between it and other LMH machinery like the Ferrari 499P or Toyota GR010 Hybrid is that Aston Martin’s offering has its roots in a road-going car.