Aston Martin Valkyrie to compete in 2026 with the same driver lineup
- Aston Martin THOR Team plans to build on a promising first year with the Valkyrie
- The Hypercar Class lineup will remain unchanged for 2026
- Tom Gamble and Harry Tincknell will race #007, with Ross Gunn supporting across selected endurance rounds
- Alex Riberas and Marco Sørensen will return in #009, with Roman De Angelis joining for long-distance events
- Valkyrie remains the only Hypercar to contest both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC)
8 December, 2025, Gaydon, UK: The striking Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar will again contest the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026, keeping its current driver lineup after a largely positive debut season at sportscar racing’s highest level.
In 2026, the Aston Martin THOR Team will again field British duo Tom Gamble and Harry Tincknell in the #007 Valkyrie, with Ross Gunn providing support at selected WEC rounds. The #009 car will see Alex Riberas (Spain) and Marco Sørensen (Denmark) return, while Roman De Angelis (Canada) will join the lineup for long-distance events when needed.
“Throughout 2025, as the programme grew, we achieved a lot and learned even more,” said Ian James, THOR Team Principal. “The drivers delivered beyond expectations, especially during the early, demanding phases. That effort has created a rich knowledge hub about Valkyrie that will be invaluable as we move into season two. As we continue to understand how to maximize Valkyrie’s competitiveness, this sets a strong foundation for the team and drivers to push further in 2026.”
Valkyrie holds the distinction of being Aston Martin’s first Le Mans Hypercar (LMH). Raced by the works THOR Team, it remains the sole road-legal hypercar-derived entry in WEC’s top class and made its global debut at the Qatar 1812km, February. The program grew steadily in 2025, accumulating more than 22,000 racing miles—including the 24 Hours of Le Mans—with the two green Aston Martins competing in WEC.
The Valkyrie’s first season featured multiple points finishes, including a best overall result of fifth at the 6 Hours of Fuji. Alex Riberas led a WEC race for the first time during the Bahrain 8 Hours, and the season closed with more points from a seventh-place finish. In IMSA, the Valkyrie scored its first global podium at the Petit Le Mans on the Road Atlanta circuit in October, narrowly missing victory alongside De Angelis, Gunn and Riberas.
The season also opened with a strong Le Mans showing in June, as both Valkyries completed the 24 Hours without major issues, finishing 12th and 14th, while the THOR Team earned Aston Martin’s first Manufacturer’s World Championship points in the Hypercar class.
The Heart of Racing to lead Vantage WEC challenge
- The Heart of Racing will operate two Vantage GT3s in the 2026 WEC
- THOR Team principal Ian James will return for a third full world championship season in the #27 Vantage LMGT3
- Gray Newell progresses to WEC, following a successful first season with Vantage GT3 in GT World Challenge America
- Vantage set to begin its 14th straight WEC season
- Aston Martin aims for its 12th GT world championship title in 2026
8 December, 2025, Gaydon, UK: The Heart of Racing, Aston Martin’s United States-based partner, will take the lead in the GT challenge for 2026, expanding its Vantage program to two LMGT3s in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The squad will build on two successful single-car campaigns in the world’s premier endurance series.
Team principal Ian James will return for a third straight season in the LMGT3 class, piloting the #27 THOR Vantage GT3. James, who finished fourth in the 2025 LMGT3 standings and took a podium in Bahrain, will be joined by the second car driven by American Gray Newell, who impressed in the post-season Rookie Test in Bahrain.
Newell, 28, steps up to WEC after a strong GT World Challenge America Pro-Am campaign in 2025, where he earned multiple podiums alongside works driver Darren Turner. “Being asked to race for The Heart of Racing in WEC 2026 is a great honor,” Newell said. “The Rookie Test showed my potential, and moving up to WEC feels like the start of a new chapter.”
James added that Newell’s Bahrain test times suggested potential for Hyperpole in Bahrain’s 8 Hours, but emphasized the challenge of adapting to WEC for a rookie. The team will support his transition and continue striving for a Le Mans podium in 2026.
Next season marks Vantage’s 15th consecutive year in WEC. Across five iterations and 13 seasons, Aston Martin’s GT challenge has tallied 53 world-class victories—the second-most of any manufacturer—across every WEC class it has contested (LMGTE Pro, LMGTE Am and LMGT3) and across all Vantage evolutions. The Vantage GT3’s current iteration shares its bonded aluminium chassis and is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. It secured three pole positions in 2025, including Le Mans, and stood on the podium twice, with a win at the 2024 Lone Star Le Mans in its debut season.
“Aston Martin is confident The Heart of Racing is the right partner to lead the Vantage’s 2026 World Championship assault,” said Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport. “The team’s engineering depth, competitive mindset, and proven track record align perfectly with THOR’s ambitions. Expanding to a two-car WEC operation reflects trust in the partnership, and excitement for what lies ahead.”
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