Aston Martin has completed an extensive development test with its Valkyrie Hypercar at Silverstone, as the British manufacturer explores the next stage of the car’s performance development ahead of the FIA World Endurance Championship’s return to the UK in 2027.
The works Aston Martin THOR Team ran a development version of the V12-powered Valkyrie around Silverstone’s 3.66-mile Grand Prix circuit, with factory drivers Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell sharing driving duties.
The test provided the team with an opportunity to evaluate a wide range of technical developments and gather data that could influence the future direction of Aston Martin’s distinctive endurance racing programme.
It also gave the team valuable experience of Silverstone ahead of the circuit hosting the 6 Hours of Silverstone from 23-25 April 2027, when the World Endurance Championship returns to Britain for the first time since 2019.
Exploring Valkyrie’s next performance step
Aston Martin THOR used the Silverstone running to investigate several areas of the Valkyrie’s performance as engineers continue to build their understanding of the car following its first 18 months of competition.
Team Principal Ian James described the test as an important step in determining where development should be focused.
“This was a significant day for Valkyrie,” said James. “Some of the developments we tried today will fuel our thinking as we consider the technical direction we go next with Valkyrie.
“We have been able to evaluate lots of areas of performance on the car, so Silverstone has proved an interesting place to challenge ideas. There’s more to come, and I think it gives us reasons to be excited about what might be next for Valkyrie.”
Progress building through 2026
The test follows an increasingly competitive 2026 campaign for Valkyrie across both WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in North America.
In WEC, Aston Martin recorded its first double-points finish with Valkyrie at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, where the cars finished sixth and ninth.
Progress has also been evident in IMSA. Gunn and team-mate Roman De Angelis were classified fifth in their most recent outing after finishing second on the road, contributing to Valkyrie recording six top-10 finishes from seven starts in the North American endurance championship.
Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport Adam Carter said the team is now in a position to explore more fundamental areas of development after gaining a much deeper understanding of the car through racing.
“We’ve been happy with Valkyrie’s performance characteristics in the first two seasons of competition,” said Carter.
“We’ve repeatedly said that we’ve entered an arena with a high level of formidable adversaries that are also several years further down the development track than us.
“So, we are now beginning to explore new areas of performance that we may gain through developing the base car, now that we understand its characteristics that much better after 18 months of racing it.
“We’re right at the beginning of that journey and this was a useful and informative start to that development process.”
Preparing for WEC’s British return
Silverstone carries particular significance for Aston Martin. As well as being regarded as the home of British motorsport, the circuit sits close to Aston Martin’s motorsport operations and its AMR Technology Campus.
The test therefore offered more than an opportunity to evaluate development components. Aston Martin THOR was also able to gather information about the circuit and Michelin tyre characteristics ahead of WEC’s return in April 2027.
For British fans, the race will provide the first opportunity to see the Valkyrie compete in a home round of the World Endurance Championship.
“We very much welcome Silverstone back to the calendar,” Carter added.
“It is not only the home of Aston Martin and British motorsport, but also the perfect opportunity for some of the best fans in the world to experience the raw and visceral joy that is the Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar.
“They have waited a long time to see Valkyrie competing at the highest level on British soil, and they deserve to be thoroughly entertained. We will do our best to contribute to that experience.”
A road-car connection unlike any rival
Valkyrie occupies a unique position on the current international endurance racing grid.
It is Aston Martin’s first Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) and remains the only contender in the top category of WEC or IMSA derived directly from a road-legal hypercar.
Developed from the Valkyrie production car by Aston Martin and THOR, the competition version combines a race-optimised carbon-fibre chassis with a modified version of the naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12.
The engine is capable of revving to 11,000rpm and produces more than 1,000bhp in its unrestricted production form. For competition, output is regulated to the Hypercar category’s 500kW – approximately 680bhp – maximum.
Valkyrie Hypercar – key facts
| Engine | 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 |
| Maximum engine speed | 11,000rpm |
| Race power limit | 500kW / approx. 680bhp |
| Chassis | Race-optimised carbon fibre |
| Category | Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) |
| Championships | FIA WEC and IMSA |
| 2026 WEC highlight | Sixth and ninth at São Paulo |
| 2026 IMSA record | Six top-10 finishes from seven starts |
| Silverstone WEC return | 23-25 April 2027 |
Motoring Echo Verdict
Valkyrie was always going to face a steep development curve against established Hypercar rivals, but Aston Martin’s improving results suggest the programme is beginning to gather momentum.
The significance of the Silverstone test is therefore less about outright lap times and more about what comes next. With 18 months of competitive experience providing engineers with a stronger understanding of the car, Aston Martin can increasingly concentrate on extracting performance from an already extraordinary package.
And there is an added attraction for British enthusiasts. When WEC finally returns to Silverstone in April 2027, the sight – and particularly the sound – of Aston Martin’s naturally aspirated V12 Valkyrie racing on home soil should make it one of the highlights of the British motorsport calendar.
