Aston Martin Has The Only Real V12 Race Car Left Standing

Aston Martin’s Valkyrie Hypercar is set to make its motorsport debut at the Qatar 1812KM on February 28.

This will be the first time the V12-powered-road-going hypercar will compete in top-level endurance racing. The car will compete in both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with two cars in WEC and one in IMSA.

The Valkyrie earns the distinction of being the only hypercar in its class derived from a road-legal model.

The project has been years in the making—it was actually shelved in 2020 before being revived. Since then, the car has undergone more than 15,000 km of testing across circuits around the world.

The race-spec Valkyrie shares much of its DNA with the production model but features extensive modifications for endurance competition. Quick-release body panels, a high-speed pneumatic jack system, and a revised aerodynamic package—including a new rear wing and shark fin—set it apart from its road-going counterpart.

Under the hood, the Valkyrie Hypercar is the only race car competing in major league motor racing to use a naturally aspirated V12 engine. The 6.5-liter unit has been retuned for endurance racing and capped at 680 hp to comply with regulations.

Two Valkyries will contest the full WEC season, run by The Heart of Racing team in an iconic British Racing Green livery. The driver lineup includes Marco Sørensen, Tom Gamble, Alex Riberas, and Harry Tincknell. A third Valkyrie will compete in IMSA, featuring THOR's customary blue livery— it will make its IMSA debut debut at the Sebring 12 Hours in March with Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis behind the wheel.

With its return to top-level endurance racing, Aston Martin joins a growing list of manufacturers vying for success in the hypercar class. Porsche, Cadillac, Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, Alpine, Acura, and Lamborghini are already competing, with both Genesis and Ford recently announcing their intentions to join.

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