Aston Martin’s Valkyrie Le Mans Hypercar has finally hit the track, kicking off its testing programme ahead of a highly anticipated 2025 debut in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA SportsCar Championship. The Valkyrie, the first Aston Martin to vie for a Le Mans 24 Hours victory since 2011, roared around the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit last Tuesday, followed by a session at Donington Park on Thursday. Dubbed as "a shakedown and initial evaluation testing" by Aston Martin and the US-based Heart of Racing team, these runs are just the beginning.

Seasoned Aston Martin driver Darren Turner, Heart of Racing regular Mario Farnbacher, and Harry Tincknell, who is tied to Multimatic Motorsports—a crucial partner in the Valkyrie project—took the wheel for these initial tests. Aston Martin has released official photos of the non-hybrid AMR-LMH, powered by a bespoke Cosworth-developed 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12, clad in a striking camouflage livery at Donington.

Prior to this, the Valkyrie underwent an initial systems check on the Stowe school circuit at Silverstone, piloted by former Aston driver Stefan Mucke. Over 480 kilometers were clocked during these test days, setting the stage for an intensive development programme across Europe this summer, with a single chassis. Expansion into North America with a second car is slated for autumn. Adam Carter, Aston's head of endurance motorsport, shared his optimism: "While it is very early in the testing cycle, from what we have witnessed so far, we are satisfied that the AMR-LMH is achieving the criteria we have set out for it to accomplish."

Heart of Racing team principal Ian James reflected on the milestone: "The birth of the project has been a couple of years in the making, so to get it on track and to see the car going around in the flesh feels momentous for Heart of Racing. We know we are going up against the best, so we intend to represent Aston Martin at the same level. From what we have seen so far and with the DNA of where this car came from, we have the right tools to be able to do it successfully."

Aston Martin's communication post-testing suggests a "competitive debut early in 2025," hinting at a possible first race at the start of the 2025 WEC in Qatar at the end of February, rather than the Daytona 24 Hours IMSA season-opener in January. Homologation for the car is targeted for autumn this year, ensuring its readiness for competition at Daytona.

The Heart of Racing team will field a pair of AMR-LMHs in the WEC, adhering to the 2025 rule change requiring factory teams to run two cars, alongside a single entry in IMSA.