Aston Martin has announced its withdrawal from the World Endurance Championship’s new hypercar class, in which it had planned enter a racing version of the 1160bhp Valkyrie.
In an official statement, the brand said it will now "pause" as it "considers whether to continue in any future prototype class." Development on a track-only Valkyrie has been cancelled as a result.
The company cited uncertainty over the recent Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) decision to combine the hypercar class with the World Endurance Championship's upcoming LMDh prototype category from 2021, and the American WeatherTech Sportscar Championship from 2022.
"We entered Aston Martin Valkyrie in WEC and at Le Mans with the understanding that we would be competing with similar machinery and like-minded manufacturers," Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said. "The situation has changed and it makes sense for us to pause and reconsider our options."
In response, the FIA Endurance Commission and WEC called the decision "very regrettable but perhaps not unexpected", citing "persistent rumours over the last six months concerning the fragility of the brand’s exposure" and a decision to enter Formula 1 in 2021 as possible reasons for the exit.
The Valkyrie racing project 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.
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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