Aston Martin’s return to the top tier of endurance racing takes a major step forward with the announcement of Alex Riberas and Harry Tincknell as the first drivers for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign.
Competing under the Aston Martin THOR Team banner, the pair will pilot the groundbreaking Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar, which aims to deliver the brand its first outright Le Mans victory since 1959.
The Valkyrie, powered by a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, marks Aston Martin’s first dual entry into both the WEC and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
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The car will debut at the Qatar 1812km race in February 2025, followed by its IMSA debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March. Aston Martin will also revive the iconic racing numbers #007 and #009 for its campaign, paying homage to its storied Le Mans history.
Tincknell, a 2020 Le Mans class winner with Aston Martin, returns to the brand to drive the #007 Valkyrie. He brings a wealth of experience, including past successes in endurance racing, such as the European Le Mans Series championship and a 12 Hours of Sebring overall win.
Riberas steps up to the #009 Valkyrie after a standout season with The Heart of Racing team, where he claimed victories in both WEC’s LMGT3 and IMSA’s GTD Pro categories.
The Valkyrie, currently in the final stages of testing, has logged over 12,500 kilometers, including recent evaluations at Bahrain and Daytona. Aston Martin THOR Team principal Ian James praised the drivers’ performance during the testing phase, emphasizing their readiness for the competitive 2025 campaign. The team’s focus now shifts to fine-tuning the Valkyrie ahead of homologation.
Aston Martin’s endurance racing legacy is underscored by the return of the #009, last used in its back-to-back GT1 class wins at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008. Head of Endurance Motorsport Adam Carter noted the Valkyrie’s strong progress in testing but acknowledged the fierce competition ahead in the WEC Hypercar class and IMSA’s GTP category.
The full driver lineup for Aston Martin’s 2025 endurance racing programs will be announced soon, as the team gears up for an exciting season with its cutting-edge hypercar.
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