logo
Aston Martin Valkyrie Gears Up for Historic Sebring Debut

Aston Martin Valkyrie Gears Up for Historic Sebring Debut

Yahoo13-03-2025
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector
Aston Martin's Valkyrie hypercar is set to make its highly anticipated North American racing debut this weekend at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, ushering the British automaker back into top-tier U.S. endurance competition for the first time in over a decade.
The competition-spec Valkyrie, developed in partnership with the Aston Martin THOR team, is the first Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) to race in IMSA's premier GTP category. It also holds the distinction of being the only LMH entry competing in both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA, following its global racing debut in Qatar last month.
Powered by a race-modified 6.5-liter V12 engine producing 680 horsepower under hypercar regulations, the Valkyrie blends cutting-edge aerodynamics with the aggressive engineering of its road-going counterpart. The hypercar's entry into IMSA competition signals Aston Martin's intent to compete at the highest level of endurance racing.
Veteran drivers Roman De Angelis and Ross Gunn, both with experience in IMSA GT categories, will pilot the Valkyrie for the full season. They are joined at Sebring by Alex Riberas, a seasoned competitor in endurance racing and a WEC Valkyrie driver. Their collective expertise will be tested on Sebring's notoriously rough, 3.74-mile circuit.
Sebring's grueling 12-hour format is expected to push the Valkyrie to its limits as Aston Martin refines its hypercar program. With a striking blue livery and the unmistakable roar of its V12 engine, the Valkyrie is set to captivate racing fans and reinforce Aston Martin's legacy in endurance motorsport.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Musk Suffers New Blow as Tesla Sales Drop for Second Quarter
Musk Suffers New Blow as Tesla Sales Drop for Second Quarter

Newsweek

time9 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

Musk Suffers New Blow as Tesla Sales Drop for Second Quarter

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk's Tesla reported another decline in deliveries in the second quarter, deepening the electric vehicle company's slump after a slower start to the year. Newsweek reached out to Tesla's press team via email for comment. Why It Matters Musk, once a vocal supporter and informal adviser to President Donald Trump, has stepped away from his government role leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and returned to focus on his companies, including Tesla. Musk and Trump's public split and fallout included character jabs as well as policy disagreements, including Trump's prized "big, beautiful" bill, which seeks to make the 2017 tax cuts permanent while cutting Medicaid funding and ending electric vehicle tax credits. Musk enjoys numerous lucrative contracts with the government across companies, including SpaceX, which Trump has threatened to revoke. The drop in sales and deliveries may signal an extended consumer backlash against the Tesla brand. Protests and vandalism targeting Tesla, which began in response to Musk's time in the Trump administration, have continued since his departure. What To Know On Wednesday, Tesla reported its second-quarter production and delivery figures, producing 410,244 vehicles, primarily Model 3 and Model Y cars, and delivering 384,122. Deliveries are considered a proxy for sales. The figures are about 14 percent lower than in the second quarter of 2024, when Tesla produced 410,831 vehicles and delivered 443,956. The second-quarter findings are also lower than those of the first quarter of 2025, which reported 362,615 vehicles produced and 336,681 deliveries, representing a decline of approximately 13 percent from the first quarter of 2024. The first-quarter slump coincided with Musk's formal affiliation with the president and his appointment to the DOGE position. A Tesla car recharges at a Tesla charging station in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 24, 2017. A Tesla car recharges at a Tesla charging station in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 24, 2017. AP Photo/Chuck Burton This quarter, production and deliveries increased from the first quarter but remained below the levels of a year earlier. The numbers represent a longer three-year decline in sales. In Europe, Tesla sales have dropped notably, with the company selling 8,729 vehicles in the European Union last month, a 40.5 percent decrease from the 14,682 sold in May 2024, according to data released on Wednesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Musk has also been pursuing a political agenda in Europe, with recent interventions in the German election and British politics. The electric vehicle market has become increasingly saturated since Tesla's inception, with numerous other manufacturers now producing hybrid electric cars, including BYD, BMW, Volkswagen, and others. In addition to its fleet, Tesla is also focusing on its robotaxi, self-driving service. What People Are Saying Tesla CEO Elon Musk, during a conference call in April, said he was "extremely optimistic about the future of the company," which will be "fundamentally based on large-scale autonomous cars and large-scale—being large volume—vast numbers of autonomous humanoid robots." Musk continued: "The value of a company that makes truly useful autonomous humanoid robots and autonomous useful vehicles at scale, at low cost—which is what Tesla is going to do—is staggering. I continue to believe that Tesla, with excellent execution, will be the most valuable company in the world by far." President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday: "We might have to put DOGE on Elon," adding that "DOGE is the monster that might have to go back and eat Elon." What Happens Next Tesla remains one of the largest suppliers of electric vehicles in the world, but competitors have taken note of the disappointing numbers and are likely to move to secure a greater market share. On Tuesday, Trump noted that he will "have to take a look" into deporting Musk, who was born in South Africa and became a naturalized United States citizen more than two decades ago.

Cameron Norrie roars into third round by downing 12th seed Frances Tiafoe
Cameron Norrie roars into third round by downing 12th seed Frances Tiafoe

Yahoo

time24 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Cameron Norrie roars into third round by downing 12th seed Frances Tiafoe

Cameron Norrie battled back from a set down to triumph in his second-round Wimbledon clash against the American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe. The British number three hit top form to beat Tiafoe 4-6 6-4 6-3 7-5 and reach the third round for the fourth time in five years. Advertisement Norrie was broken in the fifth game of the first set to put him on the back foot. But the 29-year-old seemed energised by a vocal Court One crowd in the second, which saw his rival fail to follow through on three break points at 4-4 – a shortcoming that allowed the 2022 semi-finalist to rally and get a break of his own to level the match. Norrie's forehand began to cause the American plenty of problems in the third set, but after breaking Tiafoe's serve he was swiftly broken back as the bog-serving American relied on his ability to gain points via aces. The tables were then turned once again when Norrie broke serve, again courtesy of his huge forehand, and proceeded to successfully serve for the third set. Cameron Norrie pulled off an impressive victory over Frances Tiafoe (Jordan Pettitt/PA) Tiafoe then disappeared off court for a lengthy comfort break, coming back in a fresh outfit to face a fourth set with an opponent who was clearly warming to the task. Advertisement Though trailing, the American did not fold easily and break points were passed between the pair, with the momentum looking at times to be favouring Tiafoe as he threatened to regain control of the match. Norrie held his nerve, however, and blips from his adversary meant he was able to pull off a mighty victory and book a likely clash with Queen's finalist Jiri Lehecka in the third round. Cameron Norrie left it all on the court (Adam Davy/PA) Speaking in his on-court interview, Norrie said: 'I was really happy when I saw the schedule. I saw I was on Court One and that's my favourite court. It's an amazing atmosphere and we both played a really high level. Advertisement 'I just stayed calm and played point by point. It was so nice to play Frances at such a big match. I served really well in that last game and (the crowd) were amazing in that last game, so thank you. 'You just feel goosebumps. It's such a special court and such a special tournament. I just walked out and smiled as much as I could. And then you have to go out to battle. I'm really happy with my level today.'

Could Lotus Soon Build Cars in the U.S. to Dodge Tariffs?
Could Lotus Soon Build Cars in the U.S. to Dodge Tariffs?

Miami Herald

time33 minutes ago

  • Miami Herald

Could Lotus Soon Build Cars in the U.S. to Dodge Tariffs?

Reports over the weekend suggested Lotus might shut down its historic factory in Norfolk, England, threatening more than 1,300 jobs. But the automaker pushed back, saying in a statement, "Lotus Cars is continuing normal operations, and there are no plans to close the factory." The denial came after the BBC and Financial Times published stories claiming Lotus was preparing to end UK vehicle production altogether. Still, the company left the door open to other changes, saying it's "actively exploring strategic options to enhance efficiency and ensure global competitiveness in the evolving market." One option on the table is building cars in the U.S. Speaking during a Q1 earnings call, Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng acknowledged that assembling vehicles stateside could help the brand circumvent tariffs. "We are trying to leverage our U.S. strategy to catch up on the losses due to the tariff hike. We believe that localization is a feasible plan," he said. Rather than build a brand-new facility, Lotus is reportedly eyeing Volvo's plant in Ridgeville, South Carolina. Volvo, also owned by Geely, opened the site in 2018 and has room to build 150,000 cars per year, but hasn't reached that number. After ending production of the S60 sedan, the factory now builds just two models: the EX90 and Polestar 3. The Ridgeville plant already faced a slight workforce cut in May, when Volvo announced it would lay off 5% of its staff-about 125 workers. However, in the long term, the company still plans to expand its operations and add thousands of new jobs. For Lotus, using an existing Geely-owned factory would make far more sense than constructing a new one. Automotive News reports that the Emira sports car and Lotus's upcoming EVs could be assembled in South Carolina if a deal goes through. So far, there's no final decision from Geely or Lotus. Lotus has good reason to make a move. The U.S. is its fifth-largest market, but recent tariffs have made exporting cars difficult. Emira exports were halted in April due to increased duties imposed by the Trump administration, but sales will resume in August when the 2026 model hits U.S. dealerships. The brand's electric models, including the Eletre SUV and Emeya sedan, are made in China and can't currently be sold in the U.S. because of the same tariffs. Even as Lotus insists its UK operations are safe, industry watchers remain concerned. The British car sector has been hit hard in recent years, and production dropped by a third this May compared to last year. Only 49,810 cars were built, which is the lowest figure for the month since 1949. Exports to the U.S. are also down sharply. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says U.S. shipments from British automakers fell 55.4% year over year in May. The country's share of UK auto exports shrank from 18.2% to just 11.3%. Whether or not Lotus expands to South Carolina, it's clear the company, and the wider UK auto industry, is under pressure to adapt. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store