Aston Martin is reportedly set to announce its withdrawal from the World Endurance Championship’s new hypercar class, in which it had planned enter a racing version of the 1160bhp Valkyrie.
According to motorsport website Racer.com, the decision has been made to cancel development of the Valkyrie racing project, which was being readied as a competitor to the Toyota GR Super Sport, a new Peugeot hypercar and potentially entrants from Lamborghini and Porsche in the new top-rung endurance category, which replaces the LMP1 class.
Autocar reached out to Aston Martin for confirmation, but a company representative declined to comment. Racer claims an official announcement is imminent.
Aston’s exit from the hypercar category leaves reigning Le Mans champion Toyota as the sole manufacturer to have confirmed its entry for the 2020/2021 season. Peugeot has announced an intention to race in 2022, while American manufacturer Glickenhaus plans to compete with its new SCG007 racer from 2021 onwards.
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Symanski
No point.
Was that not the whole point of the Valkyrie to be able to enter LeMans at the top level?
Absolutely no point in Aston having any involvement in F1. None whatsoever.
Remember that this is only one of three models based upon the same extreme LeMans look, the Valkyrie, Valhalla, and Vanquish. A look that has never sold in big number anywhere, and Valhalla they hope for 500 sales. Vanquish in the many thousands.
More now than ever before Aston needs to change direction. More than ever to get rid of Marek Reichman if they are going down the mid-engined car route. A market segment that is exceptionally busy with Ferrari, McLaren, Lambo and others, to bring a design that wows buyers. And that isn't a copy of a LeMans car that now does not exist!
Peter Cavellini
Money talks
Could be simples as that, new owner, new ideas, only half listens?
Maj1c
Right decision
As a manufacturer I am not sure where they fit anymore. The marketplace is packed and unlike rivals they do not have a large corporate sponsor, so the car are bit parts- no economies of scale, shared R&D costs, platforms...in this environment it made no sense to burn money on this- PSA Group, Toyota, VAG have deep pockets. F1 is nothing but a branding excercise, AM have no F1 expertise to provide teams.
eseaton
Autocar reached out to Aston
You mean contacted Aston Martin, as we say in this country. Because we aren't virtue signaling Americans.
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