Aston Martin’s ferocious Aston Martin Valkyrie is back on the attack this weekend as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rolls into the legendary WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca—and this time, the British hypercar means business.
Fresh off another top-ten finish at Long Beach, its tenth in just eleven starts, the Aston Martin THOR Team arrives in California with momentum, confidence, and a growing sense that a major result is within reach. The raw pace is no longer in question. Now, it’s about delivering when it counts. Laguna Seca could be the turning point.
Unlike the unforgiving concrete canyons of Long Beach, this iconic 2.238-mile circuit rewards rhythm, aerodynamic efficiency, and driver commitment. With its flowing layout and smoother surface, it plays far more to Valkyrie’s strengths, offering the perfect stage to showcase the full potential of Aston Martin’s most extreme racing machine.
And then there’s the Corkscrew. The world-famous plunge, 55 metres of elevation change through a blind left-right sequence, remains one of motorsport’s ultimate challenges. For a car as uncompromising as Valkyrie, it’s the kind of corner that separates contenders from pretenders.
At the heart of the car lies something truly special: a screaming, naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 capable of revving to 11,000rpm. While regulations cap output to around 680bhp, its character remains utterly unique. In fact, Valkyrie stands alone as the only V12-powered entry in IMSA’s top GTP class, and the only car derived from a road-going hypercar competing at this level on either side of the Atlantic.
Behind the wheel, Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis have been a model of consistency in 2026, finishing inside the top ten at every round so far. But that stat doesn’t tell the full story. From early setbacks at Daytona to a late-race collision at Long Beach while running fourth, their season has been one of unrealised potential.
Now, with a car that’s clearly taken a step forward and a circuit that suits it far better, expectations are shifting. The message from inside the team is clear: everything is in place. The pace is there. The execution is improving. All that’s missing is a clean race.
And if that comes together this weekend, the rest of the GTP field could have a serious problem on its hands.
Elsewhere in the paddock, Aston Martin’s GTD campaign continues with the ever-successful Aston Martin Vantage GT3, as partner teams push for their first class win of the season. With championship leader Dudu Barrichello spearheading the charge, the signs are equally promising in GT.
But make no mistake, this weekend belongs to Valkyrie. Because if Aston Martin’s V12 monster finally puts it all together at Laguna Seca, it won’t just be another strong finish. It could be the moment the hypercar truly arrives.
