Aston Martin Valkyrie GTP to Make Debut at 2024 Sebring Endurance Race

Aston Martin Racing has announced that its new Valkyrie GTP model will make its highly anticipated debut at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March 2024. Initially, there were aspirations for the V12-powered prototype to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener, the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January. However, the team has decided to forego the 24-hour race in favor of the Twelve Hours of Sebring.

The decision marks Sebring’s more forgiving race length as a fitting stage for the Valkyrie’s first competitive appearance. The global racing scene will first witness the Valkyrie’s prowess during the FIA World Endurance Championship’s opening event, set to take place in late February in Qatar.

In collaboration with The Heart of Racing, the Valkyrie participated in its inaugural IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona. Here, the vehicle was evaluated alongside competing cars from other WeatherTech Championship classes, including Acura, BMW, Lamborghini, and Porsche. According to reports from Daytona, drivers Roman de Angelis, Ross Gunn, and Alex Riberas each took turns behind the wheel, enabling the Valkyrie to achieve a best lap time of 1 minute 37.169 seconds. This was approximately 1.461 seconds slower than Acura Meyer Shank Racing’s leading 1 minute 35.708 seconds at Daytona’s 3.5-mile infield road course.

The Heart of Racing is also making strategic moves in its FIA World Endurance Championship lineup. Alex Riberas and Harry Tincknell have been confirmed as the first two drivers for the team’s two-car Hypercar participation next year. Riberas, a seasoned class-winner in both WEC and IMSA championships, will make his top-class prototype debut, while Tincknell, who triumphed in the GTE-Pro category at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans, returns to Aston Martin’s factory team.

In a statement, Ian James from The Heart of Racing team conveyed the excitement surrounding the upcoming season, citing the dedication and skill brought by both Riberas and Tincknell. «We’re all very excited heading into next season, particularly given all the hard work that has gone into it so far,» James remarked. «There is still a long road ahead, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we can’t wait to go racing with this incredible car,» he added.