After a relatively successful season in Formula 1, Aston Martin has announced their return to the world of endurance racing. The British giants revealed earlier this week that they will be debuting their flagship project, the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And with that, the team shall also be competing in the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA SportsCar Championship full-time. That being said, as per Motorsport, it has been made categorically clear that their F1 stars, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will not be involved in this endeavor. Instead, the drivers will be chosen from the Heart of Racing stable of drivers: the team that will field the Valkyrie LMH in both, IMSA and WEC.
But why would the team not want a seasoned veteran such as Alonso who has a documented success rate in endurance racing with two Le Mans wins under his belt? Heart of Racing’s team principal Ian James explains, “From a Heart of Racing view there is not an ambition to have a big name; I don’t think it is crucial to the success of the program.”
As things stand, the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH will debut in the 2025 iterations of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship. And as they eye the biggest prize in all of endurance racing, the team is adamant about leaving out their big-name players.
The Valkyrie project wants to emulate Ferrari but without Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
The man heading Aston Martin’s endurance push is Adam Carter. When asked if Fernando Alonso and Stroll could be tried out for a possible endurance excursion, he simply replied, “They’ve got day jobs.” But the team aren’t without a game plan of their own. “We have a good stable within the AMR camp, as in the group within the GT program. They will be utilized for the initial testing. And if they show the correct credentials then they will be given an opportunity to prove themselves.”
The Valkyrie project is one that is very dear to the Silverstone-based outfit. What started out as a collaboration with Red Bull’s Adrian Newey has been in the pipeline for the last 8 years. And now, it finally stands on the cusp of showcasing its true potential.
The team has studied the best and are now keen to implement their learnings. According to James, with the Valkyrie aiming to dethrone Ferrari, they’ve got to emulate the likes of the prancing horse and Porsche who have tasted glory by cherry picking drivers from their GT programs for their hypercar efforts rather than just looking to sign a ‘big’ name. Luckily, Aston Martin boasts a healthy crop of GT drivers with GTE Pro class champions, Nicki Thiim and Marco Sorensen in pole position to get the big push up.
A mixed bag for Aston Martin in Formula 1
Le Mans is still 2 years away. Currently, the team is focused on getting the most out of their 2023 season in F1. However, the fortunes of the team have been a mixed bag with Fernando Alonso locked in battle with Lewis Hamilton for P3 in the driver’s standings and Stroll Jr. struggling to hold onto 10th.
But massive positives can be taken from this year. The AMR23 is arguably the best car the team has developed. The jump they’ve made from 2022 is a testament to the fact that they are moving in the right direction.
And with the 2023 F1 season fast approaching its conclusion, the Silverstone-based team have a battle to endure as they try to fend of a rapid McLaren from stealing 4th in the Constructors’.
