- Aston Martin Valkyrie showcased dynamically ahead of 2019 British GP
- High performance test driver Chris Goodwin completes lap of Silverstone
- Verification Prototype 1 now set to begin extensive physical testing regime
Saturday 13 July 2019, Silverstone, UK: Aston Martin Valkyrie has broken cover after making its dynamic public debut in front of an enthusiastic crowd ahead of the 2019 British Grand Prix.
Piloted by Aston Martin High Performance Test Driver Chris Goodwin, the 1,160bhp machine, took to Silverstone’s world-famous Grand Prix circuit for its first public demonstration run. With the focus not on outright lap time, today’s showcase offers a glimpse of what is to come from this extraordinary hypercar.
Following months of digital modelling and simulation work alongside both Aston Martin and Red Bull Advanced Technologies’ engineers, today’s drive becomes one of the first times that Aston Martin Valkyrie has been driven in the physical world – a testimony to the technological capability of the team’s cutting-edge development techniques.
Aston Martin Valkyrie, the world’s most extreme road car and platform for a future FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) challenger, is the combined vision of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey, Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman and Aston Martin VP and Chief Special Operations Officer David King. It was created as a result of a technical and strategic collaboration between Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and project partner AF Racing.
Chris Goodwin said on completing the lap, “I’ve driven this car around Silverstone for countless hours on the simulator at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s HQ and in many other sportscars throughout my career, but to drive Aston Martin Valkyrie here today feels exceptionally special. Of course, we still have a lot of development work to go but we can now begin to really push the physical testing process and realise the capabilities of what we have developed over the past months. Putting that aside, today has brought a real smile to my face and I hope that the crowds watching from the stands enjoyed it as much as I did.”
Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President & Group CEO said, “Today is a real milestone in not only Aston Martin’s history but for our industry as a whole. Aston Martin Valkyrie continues to redefine what you and I recognise as a hypercar, possessing unrivalled levels of performance in a package that is technologically beyond anything else. While Chris’ demonstration today was not delivered at full speed, there is no doubt in my mind that we will one day return to deliver its full potential around this magnificent circuit.”
Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer said, “We have created a truly unique, beautiful rear mid-engined hypercar in Aston Martin Valkyrie, that represents the ultimate fusion of art and technology. I am incredibly proud of everybody at Aston Martin and Red Bull Advanced Technologies to have the Aston Martin Valkyrie run for the first time in public at the British Grand Prix.”
Christian Horner, Team Principal Aston Martin Red Bull Racing said, “This moment is the result of a magnificent collaboration of design and development between Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Aston Martin. The initial vision was to build a hypercar that would deliver the best in technological advancement and high performance and, together, we have achieved this. This first public running is just the beginning of a remarkable story for Aston Martin Valkyrie.”
Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer at Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, said: “To finally see Aston Martin Valkyrie running five years from when I first sat down and started sketching what this car could look like is quite an emotional day. With the change in vision angle as it comes past and the noise, it is now doing what it is supposed to be doing which is to move and be dynamic. It has been an enormous push for the team to get it running here today at the home of British motorsport so this is also a special moment for them.”
The 150 road-going Aston Martin Valkyries are sold out, with first deliveries commencing in Q4 2019.
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About Aston Martin Lagonda:
Aston Martin Lagonda is a luxury automotive group focused on the creation of exclusive cars and SUVs. The iconic Aston Martin brand fuses the latest technology, exceptional hand craftsmanship and timeless design to produce models including the Vantage, DB11, Rapide AMR and DBS Superleggera. The Lagonda brand will relaunch in 2021 as the world’s first luxury electric vehicle company. Based in Gaydon, England, Aston Martin Lagonda designs, creates and exports cars which are sold in 53 countries around the world.
Lagonda was founded in 1899 and Aston Martin in 1913. The two brands came together in 1947 when both were purchased by the late Sir David Brown. Under the leadership of Dr Andy Palmer and a new management team, the Group launched its Second Century Plan in 2015 to deliver sustainable long-term growth. The plan is underpinned by the introduction of seven new models including the DB11, new Vantage, DBS Superleggera and an SUV, as well as the development of a new manufacturing centre in St Athan, Wales.
About Red Bull Advanced Technology:
Red Bull Advanced Technologies was formed in 2014 and is a division of Red Bull Technology, the parent company of Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Formula One team. The company draws on the rich experience gained through competing in the world’s fastest development cycle, channelling its expertise to deliver effective solutions and solve complex problems for a wide range of clients and progressive projects with speed, precision and a built-in passion for achievement. Experts in Advanced Engineering, Materials, Aerodynamics, Electronics, Simulation, Modelling Vehicle Science and Intelligent Data Analytics, Red Bull Advanced Technologies unveiled the fruit of its largest collaboration to date, in 2017, with the Aston Martin Valkyrie Hypercar.
http://www.redbulladvancedtechnologies.com/
About AF Racing AG:
In addition to its ever-growing presence in motorsport, the Swiss company is also involved in the automotive sector. Along with Aston Martin Lagonda and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, AF Racing is a strategic partner of the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project. Through its R-Motorsport team, AF Racing AG is in 2019 both active in international GT3 competitions as well as in the DTM where it holds the exclusive licence to run the Aston Martin Vantage DTM in the prestigious race series. R-Motorsport is also the motor racing division of Aston Martin St Gallen, the only exclusive Aston Martin Racing dealer in Switzerland and a company affiliated with AF Racing AG. With its sister brand R-Reforged, AF Racing AG is active in the business of vehicle refinement and associated small-scale series production.Original Article