Aston Martin to convert the “Valkyrie” race car into a straight pipe?

Aston Martin's Valkyrie AMR-LMH racing car may replace its mufflers with straight pipes in order to compete in the IMSA sports car championship, Racer has learned.

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH is being developed for the 2025 motorsports season, when Aston Martin will partner with Heart of Racing under the new Aston Martin Thor team to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA The team will compete in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IMSA Sports Car Championship.

Racer reported on December 26 that IMSA officials told Heart of Racing team principal Ian James during a test session at Daytona International Speedway in November that the Valkyrie AMR without the muffler required for racing in other regions -reportedly suggested that the team should consider running LMH in IMSA competition.

Doing so would make the car sound louder, more intense, and provide a more exciting experience on the race track. The car is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 engine from Cosworth.

When asked by Racer if he intended to put the official idea into action, James simply replied, “I think the fans will love it.”

As its name suggests, the Valkyrie AMR-LMH has been developed to meet LMH rules and, along with cars built according to LMDh rules, can compete in the top classes of the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA Sports Car Championship, the Hypercar and GTP classes respectively.

The Valkyrie AMR-LMH is quite different from the Valkyrie road car, which is no longer in production. It features a unique chassis that is longer and wider than the road car's chassis. It retains the road car's 6.5-liter V12 engine, but has been modified to meet Balance of Performance rules and ensure durability in 24-hour races. The mild hybrid system used in the road car was also eliminated in the race car.