Aston Martin Puts the Brakes on the Valkyrie Race Car Project

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

Aston Martin Puts the Brakes on the Valkyrie Race Car Project

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on February 19th, 2020 in the FIA WEC category.

 

[blankfile]

— with a requirement to build road-going cars —

This is a wrong statement, in the hypercar rules it is fully permitted to not make any road cars when using the prototype rules. Toyota and SCG are both using these prototype regulations and are building a road car just because they can, not because they must.
So it was already allowed under current rules that the valkyrie would likely never race any other road going first cars.

also on another note the valkyrie was a redbull thing with redbull paying most of the bill for the racing program reportedly. The stroll Aston deal killed off all redbull participation in the program.

 

[RaceFuchs]

Wow, just wow. First they exit DTM (although that was just an AM branded private team) and now they cancel their WEC project. Aston Martin is, today, all talks and not much more. They want to be considered as one of the premium sports brands, but they certainly cant back this up in Motorsport.

That being said, i can see their point. With the DPI agreement, the whole Hypercar class is pretty much obsolete. DPI is much cheaper. No need to build your own superexpensive race car. And they didnt even want to use any hybrid system...

Now that AM has pulled out, Toyota is the only confirmed manufacturer for 2021 once again?! Peugeot is expected to join later, DPI 2.0 wont be ready for 2021...

 

[Famine]

— with a requirement to build road-going cars —

This is a wrong statement, in the hypercar rules it is fully permitted to not make any road cars when using the prototype rules.

Actually, it's a re-ordered statement. The original ruleset required 25 road going versions of the race car powertrains as a minimum production run (I recall that increased for subsequent seasons), although this has since been relaxed, poked, rejigged, and then scrapped. I wrote it as part of the statement that followed, then when I juggled the paragraph around I forgot about it.

Thanks for pointing it out - I'll reword it.

 

[Oberdan]

Situation not good.

 

[Veinz]

Not surprised, they don't have enough money to be running all these motorsport programs. Now most of their investment will be going to Racing Point/Aston Martin F1.

 

[Sam714]

.

 

[Famine]

Not surprised, they don't have enough money to be running all these motorsport programs.

Aston doesn't mention the financial situation, and says it's about the principle of marrying the Hypercar class and DPi:

"We entered Aston Martin Valkyrie in WEC and at Le Mans with the understanding that we would be competing with similar machinery and like-minded manufacturers. The situation has changed and it makes sense for us to pause and reconsider our options."

In essence, it thinks it should be racing a car it is selling as a road car against other cars from other brands that they are selling as road cars, not against Daytona Prototypes with manufacturer logos stamped on them somewhere.

 

[WheelmanSteve]

Pretty much indifferent to the Hypercar class. Bringing top tier Protos back via DPi to LMDH was a much better move, IMO. I am pretty much NEVER going to buy an Aston or any other other "Hyper" brand. A Cadillac, Mazda, or Acura? Or a Corvette, for that matter? Sure! There are a lot more race fans driving CTS-V's, MX-5's and Mazdaspeed3's, and Integra/RSX's than exotic brands. (Never mind their SUV/CUV offerings which I ignore because they're just rolling chicanes.)

 

[sumbrownkid]

This was confirmed an investor/board financial decision. Makes sense now. The Strolls now have the majority share in Aston Martin, and the focus will be in F1, just like they did messing up Williams, they will be pushing it all for sonny boys career

Williams was already a mess by the time the Strolls came.

And that sonny boy gave Williams their last podium. This Lance hate is ridiculous.

 

[mustafur]

can the Stroll family just get the hell away from racing and cars, they are not good at it.

 

[ExoticMachines]

I was looking forward to seeing this car in GT Sport.

 

[GrimBrother1]

Actually, it's a re-ordered statement. The original ruleset required 25 road going versions of the race car powertrains as a minimum production run (I recall that increased for subsequent seasons), although this has since been relaxed, poked, rejigged, and then scrapped. I wrote it as part of the statement that followed, then when I juggled the paragraph around I forgot about it.

Thanks for pointing it out - I'll reword it.

I believe that original requirement itself was also specifically only for road-derived engines vs bespoke race engines. Originally the chassis itself was always envisioned to be a prototype monocoque but with the option of using bespoke race engines or a road-derived powerplant. The road-derived engines allowed for a bit more flexibility regarding style/structure/hybrid systems etc (if I remember right), but was balanced by the requirement to have built a certain number of them for actual road use.

As for the overall subject at hand, super frustrating and I still believe that AMR placing blame on the LMDh regulations is a bit of a red herring. I feel like there is far more reasoning related to their financial situation and the development timeline of the Valkyrie itself as we well as changes in who they are partnering with.

 

[HopAlong]

I think the reasons they've given are just a convenient excuse, its clear that the Stroll investment would rather put its weight behind his son and pink Mercedes.

Very poor from Aston though, they were the ones who asked for road cars to be allowed in hypercar, the Toyota was always going to be a protorype. Apparently the ACO/IMSA convergence would have happen sooner if it wasn't for Aston, and it supposedly cost us a new manufacturer that would have committed to DPI for 2020 as a precursor to LMDH.

 

[Snaeper]

I can imagine the sudden influx of competition from LMDh (setting aside the nature of the machines themselves) also could've had something to do with it.

Before that, they were all but guaranteed a podium in the top class barring any surprises from ByKolles and SCG (unlikely). Now, though, you're racing against at least one or two manufacturers if not more, and that makes it a tougher sell to your sponsors when you're no longer a practical shoe-in to headline the event alongside Toyota.

And then there's the fact that Racing Point will be sharing the spotlight for top-flight FIA racing which further diminishes the investment in Hypercar.

 

[RaceFuchs]

Funny how good the sportscar future was looking after the Daytona announcement, now everything is in question once more. It never ends. The whole automotive industry is in such difficult times, we cant take anything for granted. Every manufacturer can pull out any time, before or after the actual racing starts.

What if Toyota decides to pull the plug as well? They have already stated there is zero interest on their side doing DPI/LMDh. Cadillac isnt interested in Hybrid. Whos left then? Acura and Mazda? Peugeot says they will enter, but Aston said that, too. Mclaren? They will propably continue to burn all their money in F1. German manufacturers are fully commited to electric cars. Ford could end up doing the same, look at their new "Mustang". Not that much left im afraid.

Looks like GT3 and Formula E are the only healthy classes in motorsport right now.

 

[John G]

Wow, just wow. First they exit DTM (although that was just an AM branded private team) and now they cancel their WEC project. Aston Martin is, today, all talks and not much more. They want to be considered as one of the premium sports brands, but they certainly cant back this up in Motorsport.

That being said, i can see their point. With the DPI agreement, the whole Hypercar class is pretty much obsolete. DPI is much cheaper. No need to build your own superexpensive race car. And they didnt even want to use any hybrid system...

Now that AM has pulled out, Toyota is the only confirmed manufacturer for 2021 once again?! Peugeot is expected to join later, DPI 2.0 wont be ready for 2021...

I think that's also significant. AML understandably don't want to commit to enter a race series where there is only Toyota as a competitor. It's a complete waste of time.
They have said it's a postponement not a cancellation, they will wait and see how tree landscape looks for the following year

 

[RaceFuchs]

I think that's also significant. AML understandably don't want to commit to enter a race series where there is only Toyota as a competitor. It's a complete waste of time.
They have said it's a postponement not a cancellation, they will wait and see how tree landscape looks for the following year

I doubt it. If they will join, they will do so with an DPI car. But since the Strolls have taken control, my guess is they will focus on F1 instead.

 

[George Jakob]

As sad as i am this project was doomed from the start Stroll or no Stroll included some thing are not meant to be .

That being said, i can see their point. With the DPI agreement, the whole Hypercar class is pretty much obsolete. DPI is much cheaper. No need to build your own superexpensive race car. And they didnt even want to use any hybrid system...

Toyota , SCG and Peugeot seem to disagree so lets wait and see 👍 .

can the Stroll family just get the hell away from racing and cars, they are not good at it.

Yea they are investing in the industry saving an F1 and one of the most beloved automakers such horrible people ...

 

[twitcher]

can the Stroll family just get the hell away from racing and cars, they are not good at it.

Laurence saved Force India from going under, and has basically just saved Aston Martin as well. His involvement in F1 goes all the way back to the Schumacher at Benetton days.

He’s done more for motorsport than most people ever have.

 

[Liquid]

I'm getting TVR vibes from Aston Martin and I know I shouldn't be.

 

[Snaeper]

https://racer.com/2020/02/19/pruett-with-aston-out-what-next-for-hypercar/

The British marque engaged in some fictional writing where it blamed the recent prototype rules convergence agreement, made between the ACO and IMSA, as the reason for ‘pausing’ the Valkyrie Hypercar program. Let’s be clear: There is no pause, and convergence had nothing to do with its withdrawal. Finances, and a lack thereof, is why Aston Martin binned its return to prototype racing. To suggest otherwise is nonsensical. A safety net for Aston Martin has since been provided by investors, but the costly Hypercar racing effort was immediately targeted as a priority to axe.

There’s a good reason for Aston Martin’s creative explanation for its Hypercar exit: in times of weakness, the last thing a business needs to do is highlight or confirm its troubles in print, and by casting aspersions at the newly-unified prototype convergence plans, the financial difficulties were ignored altogether.

This was an interesting read and seems to be a bit more grounded in the reality of racing decisions than drinking the koolaid brand's marketing departments cook up to spin it in their favor.

 

[Northstar]

I'm getting TVR vibes from Aston Martin and I know I shouldn't be.

I was thinking more Dany Bahar era Lotus.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

I don't like Aston Martin's statement, I doubt the rules are the real reason for their withdrawal. Being kind you would say their relationship with Red Bull has become more complex, less kind but probably more honest they're in the 🤬 financially, even with the Stroll investment. To take a cheap shot at the championship which bent over backwards to help them is not a good look.

The reaction from WEC is not great either saying they still have Toyota and Peugeot, they have totally ignored Glickenhaus from day 1. Privateers are sportscar racing but they've managed to drive them all into a one make championship (LMP2 Oreca's) or away all together (SMP).

 

[mef]

I don't like Aston Martin's statement, I doubt the rules are the real reason for their withdrawal. Being kind you would say their relationship with Red Bull has become more complex, less kind but probably more honest they're in the 🤬 financially, even with the Stroll investment. To take a cheap shot at the championship which bent over backwards to help them is not a good look.

How has WEC bent over backwards to help Aston? I'm not being argumentative, just wanting to learn.

From the news article and their statement I gather they are concerned about building an expensive car that has no chance of winning. It may still be a marketable car for them to sell, but entering a series may not be wise and I see their point.

What is not true about their statement? Again apologies, I'm not in the know. Just a motorsports fan on the sidelines who always marvelled at the Valkyrie project.

 

[Stoop Solo]

Ah, Aston Martin. The new Vantage now has a manual transmission option; I would get one without hesitation. If of course it weren't so laghably, monstrously beyond my spending power.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

Drat, I was looking forward to seeing the Valkyrie racing at LeMans. Also ah, I really don't pay attention enough.
I didn't realize that there was a convergence between this Hypercar class and the LMDh class, that kinda annoys me.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

How has WEC bent over backwards to help Aston? I'm not being argumentative, just wanting to learn.

From the news article and their statement I gather they are concerned about building an expensive car that has no chance of winning. It may still be a marketable car for them to sell, but entering a series may not be wise and I see their point.

What is not true about their statement? Again apologies, I'm not in the know. Just a motorsports fan on the sidelines who always marvelled at the Valkyrie project.

Aston were involved in the creation of the hypercar rules which are not too far off the car they already have.

This article covers it in a bit more detail: https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dagys-astons-failed-promise-led-to-hypercar-not-dpi/

With everything going on behind the scenes with AM at the moment (last year's rumour was that if the DBX wasn't a success they would be dead) it looks like the rules change is being used as a cheap excuse.

 

[RACECAR]

Starting to think there is less factual reason to hate the stroll family and more like it's the popular thing to do, even when said family has managed to keep afloat a F1 team formally run by a crook as it turns out and rescuing a brand that was in the red.

Yea they are investing in the industry saving an F1 and one of the most beloved automakers such horrible people ...

All while the likes of the Mcneils simply exist to just slap their money anywhere they want and throw a fit when the rules don't favor them.

 

[DesertPenguin]

I think the main reason people hate Stroll is because of his son being a crap driver and wasting a Formula 1 drive when someone else more deserving could have it.