Aston Martin's performance with the Valkyrie doesn't tell full story

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The roar of the Aston Martin Valkyrie's V12 engine captured imaginations when The Heart of Racing debuted it in both IMSA and WEC at Qatar and Sebring.

It's a marvel of engineering, no doubt. But for all the sonic spectacle, the on-track performance so far has been a little underwhelming, purely from the hype created around this car before its debut.

But, before anyone starts hitting the panic button, let's inject a dose of realism: the team is still deep in the development phase. This isn't a seasoned contender; it's a new program, and its early results should be viewed as such.

However, Ian James, team president of The Heart of Racing, which runs the on-track Valkyrie programme on behalf of Aston Martin, remains steadfast in his outlook.

'The momentum continues to build within the Valkyrie program, and each lap completed is another step forward toward our goals,' he told Only Endurance.

'In IMSA we have continued to produce solid point-scoring results and meet our current expectations, which is really all we can ask for at the moment,' he said, highlighting the team's pragmatic approach in IMSA.

Indeed, the IMSA campaign shows a steady, albeit modest, upward trend. Starting with a 9th-place finish at Sebring, followed by an 8th at Long Beach, demonstrates incremental improvement.

While a tyre failure at Laguna Seca derailed further gains, these early returns indicate a team diligently working towards optimization. Another 8th-place finish last time out in Detroit solidified where the programme is at right now.

Challenges in the world championship

The FIA World Endurance Championship, however, has presented a tougher challenge for the Valkyrie.

In the Hypercar class, their competitive standing has consistently been at the lower end of the spectrum. Qatar saw one car retire and the other finish 17th. Imola yielded 17th and 18th, and Spa 13th and 14th.

Driver Roman De Angelis offered a candid assessment of the Qatar opener. 

'I wouldn’t say that went to plan,' he said.

'A lot of bugs, a lot of small little issues, but putting the car in a big environment, a big stage like that. We were able to get one car across the finish line.'

Yet, he also emphasized the crucial strides made.

'The important thing is we went from Qatar, where things didn’t go our way, and then we showed up two or three weeks later to Sebring, and we finished two laps down with no issues. I think that goes to show you how much is going on behind the scenes.'

Another key element in the Valkyrie's journey is the rapid transition of drivers Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis into the demanding world of GTP/Hypercar prototypes. Their jump from GTD competition, with just one LMP2 outing, directly into the pinnacle of endurance racing is a considerable undertaking.

'I think it’s maybe a bit of a lack of confidence,' said de Angelis, opening acknowledging the challenge.

He drew a clear distinction between his own progression and that of many Hypercar drivers who come from Formula One, Formula E, or IndyCar backgrounds. However, De Angelis also expressed growing comfort with the new machinery.

'That’s kind of gotten to a point now where we have a few races under our belt. I feel comfortable now, and I’ve competed most weekends, and everything’s gone really well from my standpoint and the team's standpoint.

'I’d say that was the hardest boundary for myself to cross initially, but that went away halfway through the race in Qatar.'

Looking ahead to Le Mans

The upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans represents the program's most formidable challenge yet. This legendary endurance race will push the Valkyrie, its drivers, and the entire team to their absolute limits.

With two Valkyries scheduled to race, the primary objective won't necessarily be outright victory but rather maximizing learning opportunities and thoroughly testing the car's operational boundaries in a competitive environment.

De Angelis reiterated the value of these early endurance races for driver development.

'These endurance races, especially in the early development of the car, give us a really good opportunity as drivers to get in the rhythm, get in the routine, and use the tools that we have accessible to us.'

Looking ahead to Le Mans, he highlighted the circuit's unique characteristics. 

'Le Mans has such long straights that you have so much time to think about what you want to do.

'Having the straights in Le Mans to kind of settle down and say, "Okay, the car was doing this here; maybe I’ll try this next lap." Just keep picking away and progressing.'

While the immediate performance figures might not satisfy the most fervent fans, it's far too early to write off this program.

'Ultimately we want to be competitive with the top-performing teams in both WEC and IMSA,' said James.

'A lot of these teams have had their programs for a few seasons now. I think we have done a pretty good job getting there so far and will continue to strive to be at the top.'

The Heart of Racing is laying the groundwork for future competitiveness. The path forward is challenging, but the commitment to progress is clear. With Detroit now in the rear view mirror, full focus is on Le Mans, with the Valkyrie's first visit to the French countryside looming.

Feature image: The Heart of Racing

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