The all-new Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar crossed the finish line on its global debut in the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Qatar 1812km at Lusail International Circuit, marking a solid first step on its historic quest to the summit of sportscar racing glory.
The Aston Martin THOR Team’s #009 Valkyrie, driven by triple FIA WEC title-winner Marco Sørensen (DEN), LM GT3 and IMSA GTD Pro winner Alex Riberas (ESP) and former IMSA GTD champion Roman De Angelis (CDN), completed 295 laps on its way to an eventual 17th position.
The debut event for Valkyrie was always going to provide a steep learning curve in a grueling 10-hour race. But while a points finish eluded Valkyrie on its maiden competitive outing, the British-built hypercar showed encouraging race-pace during several stints completed by the #009 car and sister #007 entry, providing strong clues to its future potential in the world’s most prestigious endurance competition.
“We knew this was going to be a ‘learning weekend’ for Valkyrie,” said Aston Martin’s Head of Endurance Adam Carter. “And we’ve encountered some of the ‘teething issues’ you would associate with a new racing programme. That said, we have been encouraged by the race pace both cars showed during their stints. We saw plenty of indications throughout our time during the Qatar Prologue and the opening race that give us cause to believe we can be competitive as the season matures. We’ve learned a huge amount over this past week, gathered considerable data, and this gives us plenty to build on as we look ahead to Valkyrie’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at Sebring in two weeks’ time.”
The two Valkyries comfortably tracked the pace of the Hypercar class in the early stages of the event and settled into an accomplished rhythm. And while the #009 was forced to pit to replace a missing door in the second hour, and the #007, driven by British trio Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell was eventually forced to withdraw from the race with a transmission issue, when on-track, both cars were able to deliver lap times comparable with competitors running at the front of the pack.
Aston Martin THOR Team Principal Ian James said: “We knew this first race was going to be tough. But the team has gelled so well, worked so hard, and we saw real evidence of what the car is capable of as we start to apply the lessons we learn on this exciting journey. It was amazing to see how we measured against the competition already with our race pace, and I think inside the team we really have the feeling that we can fight with our rival teams and manufacturers who are well established in the championship. We also know we have the most learning to do and the most to come from our package, which is right at the beginning of its development curve and understanding. There is much to be excited about.”
The first ‘Le Mans Hypercar’ (LMH) to be produced by Aston Martin, Valkyrie is the only car in the WEC’s premier category derived from a road-legal hypercar. Its global debut, masterminded by the works Aston Martin THOR team in Qatar, begins an historic season for the British challenger, which will be the only LMH to compete in both the FIA WEC and in North America’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Directed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies and The Heart of Racing, and bred from the Valkyrie production model, the competition version blends a race-optimised carbon fibre chassis with a modified 6.5-litre, Cosworth-developed, V12 naturally aspirated engine that revs to 11,000rpm and produces over 1000bhp in standard form, but adheres to a strict 500kw (680bhp) power limit as per hypercar regulations.
Harry Tincknell, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “We learned an incredible amount through the whole Prologue and race week. Of course, we would have liked to get to the end with the #007, and have everything perfect, but that is not realistic in motor racing. But we have seen enough this weekend to know we will get there soon enough. The positives are that during the race the car was competitively fast, and our pace was really strong as night fell. We knew ultimately this weekend wasn’t about winning, but about learning, and in that sense we’ve come away from this event with a victory.”
Tom Gamble, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster weekend. There is a such a big build-up in Qatar. It’s actually been really positive, we have learned so much this weekend and that was our main objective, both about the car and how the team worked together. In order for us to eventually be winning, we need to be learning and improving things, and there are a lot of things we can work on and improve before we go to Imola – I’m already looking forward to hitting the track there. To be a part of the Valkyrie debut has been incredible and a huge honour, it’s going to be a really exciting year.”
Ross Gunn, driver #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It feels great to have completed my first competitive stints in the Valkyrie. We worked through several options with the tyres and improved the car through the weekend, and also from the Prologue, which is very positive. We picked up a lot of miles over the last week and that is really important for our learning going forward into the next round of the WEC and also into the 12 Hours of Sebring, our first race in IMSA. It’s a very exciting time to be not only an Aston Martin driver but also a member of this team. I am very proud of everyone’s efforts to get us here; let’s keep moving forward.”
Marco Sørensen, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It is very special to finish the first race. Yes of course we have a lot to learn, and we need to make sure we improve and have less issues – but all this kind of stuff is normal for a new programme. It feels like we are moving forwards all the time and I think we showed with our race pace that the car has a great deal of very exciting potential that we will unlock.”
Alex Riberas, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “It was definitely one of those races where we didn’t really know what to expect coming into it. We knew it was important to get a car home within 90% of the winner’s finishing distance and we did that, so that’s a big box ticked. There are a lot of things we have discovered that we can now work on ahead of the next race in Imola. I think we have shown today that we have an exciting road ahead of us.”
Roman De Angelis, driver #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie: “Pretty busy day for the Aston Martin THOR Team in Qatar. It didn’t go perfectly but it was a pretty special moment to get to cross the finish line for the first time in the Valkyrie programme. It was also a special moment for the team to get a car home. We’ve learned a lot, and it’s a long programme with a long road ahead. Looking forward to the progression and it’s only up from here.”
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