At Spa-Francorchamps, where elevation changes feel like the circuit is breathing and the Ardennes weather writes its own unpredictable script, the FIA World Endurance Championship returns for a crucial mid-season clash that doubles as a final rehearsal for Le Mans. For Aston Martin’s THOR team, it is a moment charged with both momentum and intent as the Valkyrie Hypercar reaches its tenth world championship start.
The Valkyrie programme, operated by the Aston Martin THOR Team in partnership with Aston Martin
, arrives in Belgium carrying growing confidence. After a points-scoring finish at Imola with the entry of Harry Tincknell and Tom Gamble, and a steady debut campaign in 2025 that closed with consecutive top-ten results, the project is beginning to show its competitive edge in a fiercely contested Hypercar field.
Imola provided a clear signal of progress. Tincknell and Gamble secured ninth place, marking their first world championship points together in the Valkyrie. For a programme still in its early competitive life cycle, that result carried the weight of validation rather than celebration. Spa, however, presents a different kind of examination, one shaped by long, fast corners and relentless rhythm changes that tend to reward aerodynamic stability and commitment.
The entry of Alex Riberas and Marco Sørensen arrives with its own sense of unfinished business after a 14th place finish in Italy. Both drivers have already demonstrated flashes of competitiveness across the 2025 season, and Spa offers a circuit where the Valkyrie’s high-speed DNA may find more natural expression. The car’s road-derived architecture, built around a race-optimised carbon fibre chassis and a naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12 revving beyond 11,000rpm, is uniquely positioned in the Hypercar class as the only competition machine directly evolved from a road-going hypercar.
Yet Spa is rarely a forgiving stage. Its reputation is built on variability, from sudden rain showers sweeping across La Source to the commitment required through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, where margins are measured in instinct rather than data. For Aston Martin THOR, it is also a final proving ground before the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the ultimate endurance benchmark and a race that defines entire programmes.
Harry Tincknell described Imola as a solid foundation, especially given the circuit’s known limitations for the car. He pointed to Spa as a more natural fit, highlighting its smoother surface and high-speed flow as characteristics that could better align with the Valkyrie’s strengths. His focus, like the rest of the team, remains firmly on converting potential into consistent points finishes.
Tom Gamble echoed that sentiment, framing Spa as both an opportunity and a necessity. With Le Mans looming, the British driver emphasised the importance of building momentum while extracting maximum learning from every lap, a sentiment that reflects the compressed preparation window created by the season’s adjusted calendar.
On the side of the garage, Alex Riberas sees Spa as a critical data-gathering opportunity as much as a competitive one. He noted the significance of having only two major pre-Le Mans races this year, making execution and clean running essential. Marco Sørensen, meanwhile, believes the underlying pace is already present, suggesting that Spa could be the venue where performance finally translates into results.
Team Principal Ian James has repeatedly stressed the importance of alignment across all elements of the programme. For him, the Valkyrie’s trajectory is positive, but still dependent on execution across strategy, reliability, and racecraft. Spa represents a chance to bring those elements together in a way that has so far eluded the team in 2026.
From Aston Martin’s endurance leadership perspective, Adam Carter has underlined Spa’s dual importance as both a championship race and a final data collection opportunity before Le Mans. Every lap in Belgium feeds directly into preparations for La Sarthe, where the Valkyrie aims to build on Aston Martin’s historic endurance legacy, including its iconic 1959 overall victory.
Beyond the Hypercar story, Aston Martin’s Vantage programme also returns to Spa with renewed intent in LMGT3. The Heart of Racing Team fields two entries, combining experience and fresh talent in a class where consistency often defines success. Spa has long been a stronghold for the Vantage platform, with class wins, podiums, pole positions, and a landmark outright victory at the Spa 24 Hours in 2024 reinforcing its pedigree.
As the field prepares for six hours of racing through one of motorsport’s most demanding circuits, Spa becomes more than a stop on the calendar. For Aston Martin THOR, it is a calibration point for ambition, a place where progress is measured not only in positions gained but in confidence earned ahead of the season’s defining race.
