Steve Garland

The Faster Valkyrie

March 6, 2018

It’s a busy time for the Team with the new Formula One season just around the corner and winter testing in full swing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Aston Martin-Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer RB14 isn’t the only car we’re launching, however, with Christian Horner and Adrian Newey at the Geneva International Motor Show today for the world debut of the track-only Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro.

The hybrid Valkyrie is a collaborative project designed under the leadership of Adrian Newey by Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Aston Martin. Created as a genre-defining road-legal hypercar, it already exists at the extreme edge of the performance envelope – now, evolved into track-only form as the AMR Pro, it redefines the envelope.

The new car was unveiled by Adrian and Christian, together with Marek Reichman, Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer. It formed the centerpiece of the Aston Martin stand, flanked by our show car and Aston Martin Racing’s new WEC challenger, the Vantage GTE.

You’ll have to wait for full technical details of the Valkyrie AMR Pro but the headline figures are stunning. The hybrid V12 powertrain generates in excess of 1100hp, while the lightweight construction results in a car weighing just 1000kg. Add in F1-inspired aerodynamics and you have a model generating more than its own weight in downforce.

To achieve this result, all the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro’s aerodynamic surfaces have been revised in the pursuit of significantly increased downforce. Most obvious changes are wider bodywork and much larger front and rear wing elements. These will work in concert with revised active aerodynamic control strategies tailored for the demands of track driving. In order to save weight, the car lightens its carbon fibre bodywork, and does away with road-going extravagances such as a heater and infotainment displays. It also gains a polycarbonate windscreen and side windows, carbon fibre suspension, moulded race seats and a redesigned, lighter exhaust system.

In the engine bay the AMR Pro retains the hardware of its road-going sibling – but the 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine and the ERS are re-calibrated and re-programmed to produce more power, resulting in the track-only model comfortably exceeding the magic 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. As with any track car, outright top speed isn’t a particularly useful metric – but even with the extra downforce, the AMR Pro is still capable of hitting 360km/h.

On the stand, Christian, said: “It is hugely rewarding to see the Valkyrie AMR Pro unveiled here in Geneva, another evolutionary step in the relationship between Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin. We set out together with an ambitious and pioneering road map to create something extraordinary in partnership, and the Valkyrie AMR Pro is yet another turn of that wheel.”

Aston Martin’s chief executive officer, Andy Palmer, added: “Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m a true racer at heart, so to see the track-only Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro together with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Formula One and Aston Martin’s World Endurance Championship cars here at Geneva is fabulous. I’m starting to get used to some of the extraordinary things Adrian (Newey), Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin and all our exceptional technical partners – now including Mobil 1 and Esso as Valkyrie’s official oil and fuel partners – are capable of, but the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro is something truly mind-bending.”

In his comments Adrian couldn’t resist a tease: “The Aston Martin Valkyrie road car draws extensively from the knowledge I have gained during my career in Formula One, but the AMR Pro version has allowed me to work beyond the constraints of road legality, or indeed practicality! We’ve told a few of its secrets, but by no means all. I will leave it to the public to ponder the lap time predictions. Suffice to say they’re quite impressive.”

The 88th Geneva Motor Show opened to the press today. For anyone wanting to take a closer look at the Valkyrie AMR Pro, the public days run from March 8th to 18th – but don’t bring the chequebook: deliveries of the car are set to commence in 2020 but just 25 will be built – and they’ve all already been sold.

Aston Martin Valkyrie

Red Bull Advanced Technologies to Set Sail with Sunseeker

January 11, 2018

Memorandum of Understanding paves way for new family of products

Red Bull Advanced Technologies is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Britain’s biggest boat builder, Sunseeker International. The agreement will see the two organisations begin working together on new product development. Red Bull Advanced Technologies is a division of Red Bull Technology which is the parent company of the Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Formula One team.

The MOU between Red Bull Advanced Technologies and the luxury yacht builder was signed today at the London Boat Show, with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner and Sunseeker CEO, Phil Popham in attendance.

Founded with the mission of extending the culture of innovation and technical excellence achieved in Formula One to other leading industries, Red Bull Advanced Technologies has already led the way in leading-edge automotive design and development in partnership with Aston Martin on the joint Valkyrie supercar project. The company will now also bring its cutting-edge technical expertise to the world of luxury boatbuilding with one of the industry’s undisputed leaders, Sunseeker International, which over more than 50 years has become synonymous with style, design, ingenuity and performance.

Commenting on the agreement, Christian Horner said: “This is an exciting announcement for Red Bull Advanced Technologies and we are delighted to be working with Sunseeker. As a leading name in the marine industry, and one focused on innovation and development, a relationship with Sunseeker is an organic fit for us and it is very pleasing to be forging another pioneering partnership for Red Bull Advanced Technologies.”

Phil Popham, CEO of Sunseeker International, added: “We are delighted to sign the MOU with Red Bull Advanced Technologies and look forward to working closely with them on future projects. Sunseeker has a strong performance heritage, it’s in our brand DNA, and since our inception we have designed yachts that make the heart race. As such, Red Bull Advanced Technologies is a natural partner for us and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

World of Red Bull