Announcement

Sebastian and Lance to help develop new Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro

Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team and its drivers Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll will lend their expertise to the development of the new Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro.

The Valkyrie AMR Pro is the latest advancement of the Valkyrie race car, which was initially made in collaboration between Aston Martin, designer Adrian Newey, Red Bull Advanced Technologies, and engineering partner Multimatic.

The design was built to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours under the global sportscar racing series' Hypercar rules, with the original Valkyrie concept first unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

The Le Mans-intended Valkyrie is now evolving its race-optimised chassis, aerodynamic and powertrain developments into a machine that exceeds its original specifications.

To ensure that Valkyrie AMR Pro gives the ultimate driving experience, Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team drivers will be involved from the start to develop the dynamic set-up of the car.

Extensive development work has been completed using powerful simulation tools, and physical testing of the Valkyrie AMR Pro will begin imminently.

"The entire Aston Martin Valkyrie programme has been an extraordinary adventure in engineering," said Tobias Moers, Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin.

"As an expression of the passion and expertise that can be found within Aston Martin and its closest technical partners, Valkyrie AMR Pro is a project beyond compare, a true 'no rules' track-only version.

"The Valkyrie AMR Pro is a testament to Aston Martin’s commitment to pure performance, and this performance DNA will be evident in our future product portfolio.

"Nothing else looks like it, nothing else sounds like it, and I am absolutely certain nothing else will drive like it!"

The Valkyrie AMR Pro uses a unique version of the Valkyrie chassis that is 380mm longer in wheelbase and 96mm wider in track at the front; 115mm at the rear.

Valkyrie AMR Pro features aggressive aerodynamics and, thanks to the mastery of underbody and over-wing airflow, generates twice the amount of downforce as the Valkyrie road car. As a result, the Valkyrie AMR Pro will achieve a lateral acceleration of more than 3G.

A modified version of the Cosworth-built 6.5-litre V12 engine has been fitted to the Valkyrie AMR Pro, meaning it can now rev to 11,000rpm and is on track to develop 1,000bhp.

The Valkyrie AMR Pro has track performance approaching a Formula One car thanks to weight-saving measures, such as the removal of the battery-electric hybrid system and ultra-lightweight carbon fibre bodywork. Aerodynamic efficiency will also exceed Le Mans Hypercar regulations.

More details of the Valkyrie AMR Pro's specification and performance will be released later this year, but the target lap time is 3 minutes and 20 seconds at the 13.6km (8.5-mile) long Circuit de la Sarthe, which would rival the top-class LMP1 cars at Le Mans.

The Valkyrie continues Aston Martin's long association with Le Mans. From victory with the DBR1 in 1959 to the modern success with the Vantage GTE in the GTE Pro class, the British manufacturer has regularly battled at the front of endurance racing’s most prestigious event.