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Aston Martin Valkyrie Secures Eighth Place Finish At Detroit Sports Car Classic In IMSA Championship
The Aston Martin Valkyrie showcased a commendable performance in the Detroit Sports Car Classic, marking its fourth appearance in the IMSA series. Roman De Angelis and Ross Gunn secured an eighth-place finish, maintaining a streak of top 10 finishes for the British hypercar in 2025. This achievement highlights Valkyrie's unique position as the only hypercar competing in both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship.
In Detroit, the Aston Martin THOR Team matched their previous best result at Long Beach, reinforcing Valkyrie's prowess on street circuits. The race took place on 2 June 2025, during Round 5 of the IMSA Weathertech SportsCar Championship. The Valkyrie continued its trend of finishing within the top ten, a first for any hypercar built to such regulations in North America.
The Valkyrie, driven by Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis, started from 11th position but managed to climb to eighth by the end of the race. Their performance was consistent with their previous outing at Long Beach. Despite being just two-tenths shy of breaking into the top ten during qualifying, they delivered a strategic and faultless run through the 100-minute race.
Ross Gunn expressed satisfaction with their result: "Finishing eighth on another tricky circuit like Detroit is another big tick in the box for us and Valkyrie." He praised the team's efforts to unlock the car's potential throughout the weekend. Roman De Angelis echoed this sentiment, noting that despite challenges posed by an unfamiliar track, they made significant progress.
The Valkyrie stands out as IMSA's sole GTP category car derived from a road-legal hypercar. It is also notable for being the first 'Le Mans Hypercar' (LMH) to compete in IMSA. Developed from Aston Martin's production model by THOR, it features a carbon fibre chassis and a modified V12 engine limited to 680bhp under hypercar regulations.
Team Principal Ian James commended his drivers' precision and strategy execution: "This was another strong performance by the team and the Aston Martin Valkyrie." He highlighted their strategic plays during Full Course Yellows as key factors contributing to their positive outcome.
Vantage GT3's Success at Monza
Meanwhile, Aston Martin's Vantage GT3 continued its impressive form in Europe. At Monza's GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Round 2, Comtoyou Racing secured a Pro Class podium finish. Drivers Marco Sørensen, Nicki Thiim, and Mattia Drudi finished third after an eventful race marked by eight safety car periods.
Their podium finish builds on their fifth-place result at Paul Ricard earlier this season. This success places them third in Pro Class standings ahead of Spa's upcoming race. Nicki Thiim remarked on their strategic execution: "We maximised really well across the board and that earned us some very good points for the championship."
Upcoming Challenges for Aston Martin
Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport Adam Carter noted that these results are promising as they prepare for Spa's 24 Hours race later this month. He emphasised how partners like Comtoyou Racing are well-positioned for upcoming international events following last year's Spa victory.
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is scheduled between 25-29 June as part of Aston Martin Racing's triple-header challenge alongside Le Mans and Nürburgring races.
Aston Martin continues to demonstrate its commitment to excellence across various racing platforms worldwide while preparing for future challenges with confidence.
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