Aston Martin Valkyrie Makes Long-Awaited IMSA Debut at Sebring 12 Hours
The Aston Martin Valkyrie will make its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. The team has opted to skip January's Rolex 24 At Daytona in favor of the shorter but more demanding Sebring race.
Red IndyCar racing on track
The V12-powered prototype, which adheres to LMH regulations, will first compete globally in the FIA World Endurance Championship opener in Qatar in late February. The Heart of Racing partnership recently conducted initial testing at Daytona, where drivers Roman de Angelis, Ross Gunn, and Alex Riberas evaluated the vehicle during an IMSA-sanctioned session.
During the two-day test, which included benchmark runs against LMDh-spec vehicles from Acura, BMW, Lamborghini, and Porsche, the Valkyrie posted a best lap time of 1m37.169s. This placed it 1.461 seconds behind the leading Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06, which recorded a 1m35.708s on the 3.5-mile infield road course.
The decision to debut at Sebring rather than Daytona reflects a strategic approach to introducing the Valkyrie to IMSA competition, prioritizing thorough preparation over an immediate entry into the series' longest and most challenging event.
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