GT3
Aston Martin’s Vantage secured its first LMGT3 podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the Heart of Racing Team finishing third after a dramatic battle to the checkered flag.
Le Mans debutant Gray Newell, Dudu Barrichello and two-time class winner Jonny Adam guided the No. 23 Vantage GT3 to third place, holding off a charging Lexus by just 2.5 seconds after 24 hours of racing.
The result marked Aston Martin’s 11th class podium at Le Mans and the first podium finish for the latest-generation Vantage GT3, which debuted in 2024. It was also the first Le Mans podium for the U.S.-based Heart of Racing Team.
Heart of Racing’s second entry, the No. 27 Vantage driven by Ian James, Zach Robichon and Mattia Drudi, started from pole position for the second consecutive year after Drudi set a new LMGT3 qualifying record. The car led for several hours before retiring from contention with gearbox issues in the 21st hour.
Barrichello delivered a composed final stint under intense pressure to secure his first Le Mans podium, while Adam added another rostrum finish to a Le Mans record that includes class victories in 2017 and 2020. Aston Martin partner team Racing Spirit of Léman finished 11th with drivers Clément Mateu, Marius Fossard and factory driver Valentin Hasse Clot. The race also marked the 25th anniversary of Aston Martin’s engineering partner, Prodrive, at Le Mans. With this result, the British firm has now recorded 19 podium finishes at the French endurance classic, including seven class victories.
24 Hours of Le Mans
Le Mans, France
3rd – 14th June 2026
Photo: Drew Gibson
HYPERCAR
Aston Martin’s Valkyrie Hypercar recorded its best-ever result at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing eighth overall with drivers Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn and Harry Tincknell in the No. 007 Aston Martin THOR Team entry.
The result marked Valkyrie’s fifth consecutive points finish in the FIA World Endurance Championship and continued a strong 2026 campaign that included a ninth-place finish at Imola and a season-best fourth at Spa-Francorchamps.
Developed from Aston Martin’s road-going Valkyrie, the Hypercar also achieved the best Le Mans finish by a car derived from a production hypercar. Valkyrie remains the only Hypercar-homologated machine competing in both the FIA WEC and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Both Valkyries showed strong pace throughout the week, with the No. 009 car qualifying seventh and the No. 007 entry 11th. By nightfall, both cars were running inside the top 10.
The No. 007 ultimately secured eighth place, while the No. 009 of Marco Sørensen, Alex Riberas and Roman De Angelis was on course for a points finish before a late technical issue dropped it from 10th to 14th.
Aston Martin THOR Team Principal Ian James hailed the result as another significant step forward for the Valkyrie programme, while Aston Martin Head of Endurance Adam Carter praised the team’s flawless execution in securing a hard-earned points finish in one of motorsport’s toughest endurance races.
Above contents © 2026 Aston Martin, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee
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