The Aston Martin Valkyrie is set to make its American racing debut at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, following its world racing debut in Qatar two weeks ago. This marks a significant milestone in the vehicle's five-year journey from conception to competition.

Ross Gunn, leading The Heart of Racing team, acknowledges the challenges ahead, particularly being two years behind their competitors. The Qatar debut proved challenging, with one Valkyrie losing its door and another retiring early due to a broken gearbox.

"We're under no illusions how difficult the task is ahead of us," says Gunn, who comes fresh from an impressive GTD PRO class season. "Our aim is to gain as much mileage as possible and gather essential information about the car."

Sebring presents unique challenges with its jagged pavement, Florida heat, and minimal runoff areas. Despite these obstacles, there's precedent for success - Lamborghini's SC63 finished sixth in their IMSA debut at this track last year after similar early struggles.

The Valkyrie's naturally aspirated V12 engine has already earned praise for its distinctive sound, rivaling only the Cadillac V-Series.R's V8 in the auditory experience. The team will continue testing at Sebring after the 12 Hours race, making the most of every track opportunity.

Co-drivers Roman de Angelis and Alex Riberas join Gunn in adapting to the new prototype class. "Every time we get in the car is essential for us," Gunn explains. "We're getting more confident, more comfortable. It's not just about getting the car quicker, it's also about getting us quicker."

The team's goal for the season is to challenge the established competitors by year's end. Gunn believes that successfully completing Sebring would be a crucial milestone: "If you can get through Sebring, you can almost get through any race."

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