1,160-HP Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar Makes Track Debut at Silverstone
The Valkyrie is now in the testing stage of development, so it won’t be long until we see customer cars hit the road.
The upcoming Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar has finally stepped out of the paddock and onto the track, where it made its official public debut at Silverstone Circuit just in time for the 2019 Formula 1 British Grand Prix.
With Aston Martin test driver and Bruno Senna's mentor Chris Goodwin at the wheel, the Valkyrie took its first public strides on racing tarmac Saturday in front of a crowd of cheering hypercar fans. Sadly the car's infant lap was just for demonstration, but with the Valkyrie slated to race at Le Mans next year, we won't have to wait long to see Aston's new 1,160-horsepower beast at full send.
“I’ve driven this car around Silverstone for countless hours on the simulator at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s HQ and in many other sports cars throughout my career, but to drive Aston Martin Valkyrie here today feels exceptionally special," Goodwin said. "Of course, we still have a lot of development work to go but we can now begin to really push the physical testing process and realize the capabilities of what we have developed over the past months. Putting that aside, today has brought a real smile to my face and I hope that the crowds watching from the stands enjoyed it as much as I did.”
The Valkyrie is the result of a collaboration between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing to produce the ultimate road-going hypercar, bringing technologies developed for the latter's F1 cars to the street. The Valkyrie features F1-inspired aerodynamics, all carbon fiber chassis, 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, and a naturally-aspirated, 6.5-liter Cosworth V12. Production is limited to 150 cars at $3.2 million apiece, all of which have already been sold to customers.
“Today is a real milestone in not only Aston Martin’s history but for our industry as a whole," added Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. "Aston Martin Valkyrie continues to redefine what you and I recognize as a hypercar, possessing unrivaled levels of performance in a package that is technologically beyond anything else. While Chris’ demonstration today was not delivered at full speed, there is no doubt in my mind that we will one day return to deliver its full potential around this magnificent circuit.”
With the Valkyrie's dynamic debut in the bag, Aston Martin will now focus on the rigorous physical testing needed to make sure its hypercar is up to snuff both on the road and on track. The first deliveries are scheduled for the end of 2019.