What is Aston Martin up to?

[veeten]

...and this is what we've been saying for the time in this thread, that it would take a factory manufacturer effort to make this car race worthy under today's rules. Even the team owner understands this.
Reasons as to why the Isotta Fraschini has both the track version and the race version of their Tipo 6, but it would take returning it to them to even consider a conversion of the track day car to an LMH, not to mention the budget inherent in such an endeavor.

[S griffin]

Yes I fear we won’t see a Glick again anytime soon. Which is why I’m thankful that they did it when they did. I feel we are going to see a manufacturer era from now on. Of course professional teams will still be there to run cars for manufacturers, but I feel we won’t see anymore private teams for quite a few years yet

[veeten]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Yes I fear we won’t see a Glick again anytime soon. Which is why I’m thankful that they did it when they did.

Which is why Isotta Fraschini will do better than they did. Rather than enter a series where the rules did a sudden change, IF entered when they became updated, allowing them to design, engineer, and build a car that will contest on even terms. If Glickenhaus chooses to return, the car will be a far sight different than the one they left with. Completely thought out to the rules with a hybrid system, be it LMH or LMDh- derived.
Same goes for ByKolles, or Floyd Vanwall, or whatever they call themselves...

I feel we are going to see a manufacturer era from now on. Of course professional teams will still be there to run cars for manufacturers, but I feel we won’t see anymore private teams for quite a few years yet

Yes, you could say that, if you mean teams or manufacturers that depend upon grandfathered machinery, or constantly playing games with the organizers about their "legality", or cars that have a 2-year life cycle that dissipates when newer machinery makes it entry. Not being mean, but being critical about the last 2, and present, seasons, and that, at least, Alpine did the smart thing and back stepped to LMP2 while building their new top contender.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by veeten

Which is why Isotta Fraschini will do better than they did. Rather than enter a series where the rules did a sudden change, IF entered when they became updated, allowing them to design, engineer, and build a car that will contest on even terms. If Glickenhaus chooses to return, the car will be a far sight different than the one they left with. Completely thought out to the rules with a hybrid system, be it LMH or LMDh- derived.
Same goes for ByKolles, or Floyd Vanwall, or whatever they call themselves...




Yes, you could say that, if you mean teams or manufacturers that depend upon grandfathered machinery, or constantly playing games with the organizers about their "legality", or cars that have a 2-year life cycle that dissipates when newer machinery makes it entry. Not being mean, but being critical about the last 2, and present, seasons, and that, at least, Alpine did the smart thing and back stepped to LMP2 while building their new top contender.

Zero chance of that. Glickenhaus has a podium at LM to their credit, IF doesn't have a prayer of that with the current field

[tomcug]

He could have had a win as well but Pipo engine died.

[rdjones]

I have just seen this on X (Twitter) it looks like there maybe some next from Aston later today:-

https://twitter.com/astonmartin/stat...21768953843846

[C6R Racing Fan]

2025 WEC/LM with Valkyrie

[Akrapovic]

Until that car actually races, I don't believe it.

[DistortedSmile]

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...-for-2025.html

- At least one car each for WEC and IMSA in 2025
- Testing planned for early 2024, debut at Daytona 2025
- Heart of Racing will be the factory team apparently
- It will use the V12 despite what some people were saying here

[Simmi]

I've been hurt before... but here we go again!

Not sure how competitive it will be but I'm all in! Great to see Aston back.

The additional announcement of new GT programmes too with Vantage Evos in GT3/GT4 shows they appear to be doing this properly - https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...ing-plans.html

[TF110]

Its official. Aston Martin with the Valkyrie AMR PRO at Le Mans in 2025

[DistortedSmile]

This quote from Papa Stroll is telling:

Now we return to the scene of those first triumphs aiming to write new history with a racing prototype inspired by the fastest production car Aston Martin has ever built.

Guess the only thing it will have in common with the roadcar is the engine because seeing the laptimes they've done at Bahrain, neither the regular Valkyrie or the unrestricted track only Pro car are anywhere near close to LMH speed despite their past PR claims.

[rdjones]

Fantastic news an interesting about turn as the program should have never been shelved in the first place imo….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rdjones]

And the GT3/4 programs will also continue with a new car as well

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...ing-plans.html

This a very good news day from the boys and girls at Gaydon.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PhilipR]

I do not know how to feel about this one

On the one hand is great to see AM back and more manufacturers for Imsa and WEC

However bringing an already existing car (designed to old regulations) and amending it to current usage seems like will require a lot of BOP help - and they are already alluding to this in the press release - I hope it does not become a back of the grid car and then always complain about BOP . Furthermore HOR , I like them and they have done brilliantly in GTD - but are they at a level to challenge the top teams that are running in IMSA and WEC?

This feels more like a customer programme - somoen paid the bill and Aston are happy to provide a car - similar to the Aston Lola and the 2011 abomination.

Hope I am proven wrong they are serious contenders - so feeling excited about them joining

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

I do not know how to feel about this one

On the one hand is great to see AM back and more manufacturers for Imsa and WEC

However bringing an already existing car (designed to old regulations) and amending it to current usage seems like will require a lot of BOP help - and they are already alluding to this in the press release - I hope it does not become a back of the grid car and then always complain about BOP . Furthermore HOR , I like them and they have done brilliantly in GTD - but are they at a level to challenge the top teams that are running in IMSA and WEC?

This feels more like a customer programme - somoen paid the bill and Aston are happy to provide a car - similar to the Aston Lola and the 2011 abomination.

Hope I am proven wrong they are serious contenders - so feeling excited about them joining

+1

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by DistortedSmile

https://www.dailysportscar.com/2023/...-for-2025.html

- At least one car each for WEC and IMSA in 2025
- Testing planned for early 2024, debut at Daytona 2025
- Heart of Racing will be the factory team apparently
- It will use the V12 despite what some people were saying here

Factory team? Not really.....

This feels more like a customer programme - someone paid the bill and Aston are happy to provide a car - similar to the Aston Lola and the 2011 abomination.

There you go, a winner. Pick any prize off the top shelf..... If it was going to race, that's what it was always going to be.

If it's anything like the Aston Lola, there's nothing to complain about. What came later is a very different story. As far as I'm concerned (as I told my son many times), this car deserves to be racing....

[J Jay]

Gabe Newell is swimming in Steam money, Heart of Racing will be fine to run both Valkyries.

Even with BoP, it will be some feat of engineering to take a track car special and make it viable against purpose-built race cars. I doubt the original designers were thinking much about serviceability when the Valkyrie was first being produced. No hybrid is already leaving performance on the table.

[PascaLM]

I have always thought the Valkyrie was made for racing. It's not a supercar like heavy and over powered other cars.
If they keep the chassis as it is, the aero will have to be completely reviewed to fit the regulations though. Then the global shape and body could be different than today's version.

[veeten]

This should be interesting...

If they are going to maintain the original "spirit" of the car, then the powertrain should not be changed too much, but be more than capable to be competitive. This means that it will have to live at 690hp or 520kw, similar to what Glickenhaus and Vanwall were running at, unless the output is changed by then.

Since they will be racing by '25, that should give them plenty of time to re-develop the car, as most of the LMH/LMDh will have 2+years in racing/development time by then. This could be an issue at first, but unlike the other two non-hybrid teams, Aston Martin has the means and money to make changes without relying too much on "jokers".

Don't be surprised if this move becomes the impetus for Alfa Romeo to make their choice...

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by PhilipR

I do not know how to feel about this one

On the one hand is great to see AM back and more manufacturers for Imsa and WEC

However bringing an already existing car (designed to old regulations) and amending it to current usage seems like will require a lot of BOP help - and they are already alluding to this in the press release - I hope it does not become a back of the grid car and then always complain about BOP . Furthermore HOR , I like them and they have done brilliantly in GTD - but are they at a level to challenge the top teams that are running in IMSA and WEC?

This feels more like a customer programme - somoen paid the bill and Aston are happy to provide a car - similar to the Aston Lola and the 2011 abomination.

Hope I am proven wrong they are serious contenders - so feeling excited about them joining

Exactly what crack squad are we to be concerned about in IMSA/WEC?

Penske-has looked like keystone kops often and chasing the car around all season
WTR-roll the dice and often get it way way off with strategy and be close but miss at the end
MSR-gone but thy often seemed to think fuel wasn't really important and missed out on good finish with a splash and well computers/tires
AXR-can make things work but the drivers may be a bot hot
CGR-seem to often end up somehow a lap down every event and off strategy
RLL-have their moments but at least more consistent than Indy program
Ferrari-somehow F1 Ferrari seems to be contagious but moments of skill
Toyota-generally fairly safe so peak team maybe?
Vanwall-well engine often let's them down before the they
Peugeot-well they forgot the wing so....

IF-well let's see

Heart of Racing has at least seemed like they can figure out a car in 2 classes with different rules for time in car and 4 series with different car regs. Not sure they are miles behind any of the other teams

[Adam43]

The big thing for me is the IMSA entry. We see LMDh in WEC, but not Hypercar in IMSA. A whole new thing for us to get worked up about

[Coach Ep]

The fact it'll be a non-hybrid car should make the BoP slighly easier. Hopefully AM will be the leading LMH sheep over the dam!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by veeten

Aston Martin has the means and money to make changes without relying too much on "jokers".

But it's not going to be Aston's money......

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

But it's not going to be Aston's money......

But it is going to be their R&D and engineering resource