Whatever transpires to be in the top class of sportscar racing this year, Aston Martin will always hold an unfair advantage: That is, the number of cylinders in their engine. But I’m not referencing any possible advantage in the competitive sense, rather one of legacy.

The V6 is an all-too-common sight in motorsport these days. It’s everywhere, from Formula One to GT3 and even in both LMDh and Hypercar itself. It’s the sensible choice, sacrificing the excessive rumblings of a V8, V10 or indeed V12 for not only environmental safety, but also for fuel consumption and costs. It’s also a damn good configuration to use when you’re operating under Balance of Performance, and any advantage gained from extra cylinders is totally nullified.

No, I’m not talking about a competitive advantage. I’m saying that Aston Martin, in the eyes of the fans, can never really lose.

That there is a V12 top class sportscar in 2026 is a miracle, and the fact it goes unmuffled is even more of one and the fact is sings a melody totally unique yet one that is yearning for a bygone age mirrors us fans, too. To borrow a term from Jeremy Clarkson’s introductory speech in 2011’s Forza Motorsport 4:

“We are an endangered species, you and I.”

That’s what this car is.

The thing is, towards the back end of its debut season it began to show signs of bucking the cliché. You know the one, the fast, raw, exciting machine built by a manufacturer that has not the might of Ferrari, Porsche or the other big boys but captures the hearts of the fans despite its enduring mediocrity.

But when the Valkyrie ended 2025 by leading it’s first WEC race on merit, and scoring it’s first podium by finishing second to Cadillac at Petit Le Mans on a race it had the pace to win, it draws us out of the idealisms and fantasies and makes you sit up.

“Oh, hold on. They’re actually pretty good.”

Heading into 2026, the Aston Martin Valkyrie might not have changed, but it really doesn’t need to if we’re going off its final three races of 2025. Consecutive points finishes in WEC and that aforementioned IMSA podium set up quite a tantalising prospect for the American run, Gabe Newell-backed project.

Let’s talk IMSA first, since their first real test is coming up before the end of the month I write this.

Last year, the Valkyrie forewent the traditional curtain-raiser of the American sportscar scene, the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Instead it appeared first at Sebring, where after qualifying dead last in the GTP class it went on to finish a respectable ninth, 2 laps down on the winner. From there, results barely improved but a sixth place finish at a chaotic Road America did provide some hope.

But with a year under their belt, I think the outlook could be very different going into the longest race on the calendar. Yes, it’ll only be their second 24 Hour enduro, but this time they’ll be seen as true contenders. With IMSA full-timers Ross Gun and Roman De Angelis being joined by the duo that scored those two WEC top 10s, Alex Riberas and Marco Sorensen it’s a solid lineup and I’d hope the can make it a strong debut.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, with Gunn and De Angelis returning for the full season it should be a competitive car – but that’s the thing, it’s a one-car effort and that will always prove a hindrance if we’re talking championship matters with only one horse in the driver’s and teams championship.

So no, this is not a car that will be expected to take any teams honours this year but with Sorensen and Garcia joining them in the longer Michelin Endurance Cup rounds silverware isn’t totally off the cards. 

Over on the WEC side of things, I’d argue things are looking quietly optimistic. Sorensen and Garcia were by far the breakout stars of the 2025 campaign and they’ll be teaming up once again, joined by De Angelis for Le Mans, Qatar and Bahrain’s rounds in #009. And an all British lineup is returning in the #007 car, again identical to last year’s as Aston named unchanged lineups. The bond-homage car had a tougher time of things last year, failing to score any driver’s championship points and failing to breach that all important top 10, with Ross Gunn, Harry Ticknell and Tom Gamble also suffering three retirements to #009s one. And while they may only have beaten the sister car once, at Spa, last year it’s always important to remember that 2025 was inevitably going to be a difficult year results wise. Genesis will face much the same when they debut in Qatar. It was also Gunn’s first taste of prototype machinery, and Gamble’s first in the top class – he is a proven prototype driver though, having won the European Le Mans Series back in 2020 with United Autosports.

So what will their prospects be in this coming year? I’d like to think it would see them fighting consistently for top tens – but crucially landing them, and to see them shoot up the manufacturer’s points standings. Let’s not forget they are being run by The Heart of Racing, who’ve much experience in both WEC and IMSA even before they took on the Valkyrie. They know how to win, and what it takes to be competitive in WEC.

Motornerd IMSA Manufacturer’s Championship Prediction: 5^th

Look, I’m never going to realistically say they’ll outscore Caddillac, BMW, Acura and Porsche given where they are right now but that’s not to say they won’t be competitive. I can see a podium or two across the season if things pan out well.

Motornerd WEC Manufacturer’s Championship position: 6^th

They won’t be the fastest, but I think if there’s one thing this team displayed last year it was that consistency is their greatest asset as a team. An untroubled Le Mans run for both cars saw them score big, relatively speaking, and I think that’s where they’ll pick up the points.

SmackJam, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons