Aston Martin Valkyrie heads to Watkins Glen for halfway point of IMSA season after top-10 at Le Mans
Aston Martin's Valkyrie Hypercar aims for a strong result at the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen after a top-10 finish at Le Mans, continuing its historic dual-series campaign.
- 5 in 5 IMSA races in 2026
- 6.5L V12 revving to 11,000 rpm
- 500 kW (680 bhp)
- Only hypercar competing in both IMSA and WEC in 2026
What Happened
The Aston Martin Valkyrie continues its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign at Watkins Glen International on Sunday, 28 June, for the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen. Following a top-10 finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this month, the works Aston Martin THOR team targets further progress in the GTP class. The race is also a round of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, which includes all IMSA races of six hours or longer.
Rolex 24 at Daytona – top-10 finish in GTP class
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – top-10 finish
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – eighth-place finish and sixth in qualifying
24 Hours of Le Mans (WEC) – top-10 finish
Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen – halfway point of IMSA season
- 5 in 2026 (0 in 2025 debut)
- Significant gains; results now based on pace rather than attrition
- Sixth in 2026 (best in 2025 not specified)
“Watkins Glen is a happy hunting ground for not only me, but also the Heart of Racing Team. We've enjoyed a lot of success there over the past five years. I am really looking forward to kickstarting the second half of the season. We've improved the car vastly from last year, in terms of pace, and we're now looking to convert that into some cool results.”
Alongside the Valkyrie, Aston Martin's Vantage GT3 leads the GTD class standings after four of ten rounds, with the Heart of Racing Team fielding entries. New team Car Blanche, formed after YRB Racing acquired Van der Steur Racing, makes its competitive debut, while Magnus Racing returns from a hiatus. Drivers' championship leader Dudu Barrichello, fresh from a podium at Le Mans, partners Tom Gamble and Zacharie Robichon in the GTD class.
Previously from Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc
The Valkyrie Hypercar recently finished eighth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, its best result yet in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc's official releases.
Why this matters
The Valkyrie is the only hypercar contesting both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026, showcasing Aston Martin's commitment to endurance racing. This race marks the halfway point of the IMSA season, and the team has shown significant performance gains over its debut 2025 campaign, achieving top-10 results in all five races so far. A strong showing at Watkins Glen would validate the car's progress on a track that suits its strengths.
Terms in This Story
- IMSA
- International Motor Sports Association, the sanctioning body for major North American sports car races.
- GTP
- Grand Touring Prototype, the top class in IMSA featuring hybrid-powered prototype race cars.
- LMH
- Le Mans Hypercar, a class of hybrid prototype cars built to FIA World Endurance Championship regulations.
- Hypercar
- A high-performance race car built to the top-tier regulations of the FIA World Endurance Championship or IMSA.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.