24 Hours To Le Mans: Aston Martin Returns

Aston Martin has transformed its electrified Valkyrie road car for the marque’s big return to legendary endurance competition, 24 Hours of Le Mans. Motoring editor Jeremy Taylor reports.

Aston Martin At 24 Hours Of Le Mans 2025

JT-P – Didn’t you drive the hybrid Valkyrie hypercar on the racetrack in Bahrain a couple of years ago?

JT – I did! I also clocked 187mph on the home straight – the fastest I’ve ever driven! An F1 car in all but name, the £2.5 million two-seater combines a 6.5-litre V12 engine with a battery pack to produce 1139hp.

Incredible! That’s six times more powerful than a standard Mini Electric.

My favourite feature was a single windscreen wiper, designed by the same people who worked on the space shuttle.

So, Aston was back racing for the top prize at Le Mans last week with a Valkyrie?

Indeed, hoping for a first outright win of the world’s greatest endurance race since Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby saw off Ferrari in 1959. However, the two Valkyries at the 24-hour race didn’t use a hybrid powertrain like the rest of the cars on the starting grid.

Why so?

Well, remarkable as it might seem, the hybrid version I drove a few years back would be too powerful for Le Mans racing, where power is capped at 750hp. Instead, the two track cars were just equipped with 6.5-litre V12 petrol engines.

‘Just’ V12s! How did they get on?

Both Valkyries finished! Aston never expected to win in the hypercar class at the first attempt. They’ve committed to at least three years of competition and will no doubt improve against the winning hybrid Ferrari 499P in the ongoing World Endurance Championship. 

I read Aston is building a limited edition model based on the Le Mans car?

That’s correct. The Valkyrie LM.

Looks amazing in this photo.

The LM restricted to just 10 examples – a track-only hypercar that is almost identical to the one on the track in France. However, you will need to find some £5 million to live your own Le Mans dream.

Maybe next year…

Jessica Talbot-Ponsonby is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.