Heart of Racing

Aston Martin's Hypercar programme is run by Heart of Racing, the American-based team that has operated Aston Martin machinery in GT racing for several years. The car is the Valkyrie AMR-LMH, a Le Mans Hypercar derived directly from one of the most radical road cars ever built. Where most manufacturers started with a clean-sheet racing design, Aston Martin began with the Valkyrie hypercar, a road-legal machine already operating at the absolute limits of aerodynamic and mechanical engineering, and adapted it for endurance competition.

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH uses the same 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine developed by Cosworth that powers the road car, modified to suit the demands of long-distance racing. Running lean to improve reliability and efficiency, the engine operates at reduced revs compared to its road-going configuration, but remains a remarkable piece of engineering in a class where most competitors use turbocharged six-cylinder or V8 powertrains. The car carries no hybrid system, instead using a starter-alternator unit Aston Martin calls a starternator to comply with regulations without the complexity of a full hybrid drivetrain. The Valkyrie AMR-LMH is the first top-class sports prototype to race a V12 engine in nearly fifteen years.

The car made its competitive debut at the 2025 Qatar 1812 km, where it endured a difficult race weekend before the team worked progressively through the season's development challenges. For 2026, Aston Martin confirmed an unchanged driver line-up: Tom Gamble and Harry Tincknell share the number 007 entry, supported by Ross Gunn at selected rounds. Alex Riberas and Marco Sorensen return in the number 009, with Roman De Angelis available as cover when required.

The Valkyrie's combination of a road car heritage, a screaming V12, and the Heart of Racing team's determination to extract performance from an unconventional machine gives the Aston Martin programme one of endurance racing's most compelling storylines. Le Mans, where the Valkyrie's naturally aspirated engine will face a unique test of reliability over 24 hours, is the target that defines the entire programme.