Aston Martin's THOR team runs the Valkyrie hypercar development vehicle at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in Britain. [Aston Martin]
Aston Martin's THOR team runs the Valkyrie hypercar development vehicle at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in Britain. [Aston Martin]

Aston Martin's V12 hypercar, the Valkyrie, has completed a development test at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit as the team prepares to return to the World Endurance Championship's British round in 2027. The session marks the start of a push to raise the car's performance after a season of competitive running in both the WEC and North America's IMSA series.

Aston Martin announced Monday that its motorsport team, THOR, had completed a running test of the Valkyrie hypercar development vehicle at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in Britain.

Silverstone is home to Aston Martin's motorsport base, the AMR Technology Campus. The circuit will host the WEC's Six Hours of Silverstone from April 23 to 25, 2027 — the championship's first race in Britain since 2019, ending an eight-year absence.

Factory drivers Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell took part in the test, running the 3.66-mile Silverstone Grand Prix layout to evaluate a range of technology elements currently under development.

Rather than a straightforward shakedown, the session focused on defining the direction of future performance improvements for the Valkyrie. The THOR team gathered data on car performance over extended running, along with information on Michelin tire behavior and the specific characteristics of the Silverstone circuit.

"Today was a very significant day for the Valkyrie," said Ian James, principal of Aston Martin's THOR team. "The results of this test will serve as an important foundation for determining the direction of the Valkyrie's future technical development."

The Valkyrie is Aston Martin's first Le Mans Hypercar. It combines a race-specification carbon-fiber chassis derived from the road-going Valkyrie with a 6.5-liter V12 engine.

The engine revs to a maximum of 11,000 rpm and produces more than 1,000 horsepower in standard specification. WEC hypercar regulations cap the maximum power output at 500 kilowatts — approximately 680 horsepower — in competition.

Results have been improving steadily this year. At last month's WEC Six Hours of São Paulo, both Valkyries finished sixth and ninth respectively, marking the first time since the car's WEC debut that both entries scored points in the same race.

The team has also been a consistent presence near the top of the field in North America's IMSA series. Ross Gunn and Romain De Angelis crossed the finish line second in one race before being classified fifth, reflecting stronger form than at the start of the season. The Valkyrie had reached the top 10 in six of its seven IMSA starts at that point.

"Over the past 18 months of racing, we have developed a much deeper understanding of the car," said Adam Carter, Aston Martin's head of endurance motorsport. "This test has been the starting point for defining specific performance gains and the direction of future development."

Aston Martin views next year's Silverstone race as a key opportunity to showcase the Valkyrie to fans on home soil.

"We welcome WEC's return to Silverstone," Carter said. "British fans will be able to see the Valkyrie in their home country, and we intend to put on a performance worthy of their expectations."

Meanwhile, separate from its motorsport program, Aston Martin has continued to expand its high-performance internal combustion engine lineup. On Aug. 14, the company unveiled the new Valen, powered by a 5.2-liter V12 twin-turbocharged engine producing 850 horsepower. Production is limited to 150 units worldwide, with first deliveries scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.


kwater@heraldcorp.com