Aston Martin wants to enter Valkyrie in Le Mans

The company isn\'t interested in the prototype categories.

Aston Martin's Le Mans effort is currently limited to the GTE category. The company isn't interested in the prototype classes, but it could enter its upcoming Valkyrie hypercar in the race if the World Endurance Championship (WEC) allows it to.

Company boss Andy Palmer told British magazine Autocar that the organizers of Le Mans recently asked for his opinion on the future of the sport. The top LMP1 class is in a dangerous limbo right now because Audi and Porsche both left for Formula E, leaving Toyota as the only automaker-sponsored team vying for the podium. Peugeot voiced its wish to take on Toyota with its own program if costs could be kept in check, but the comeback certainly won't happen in time for the 2018 season.

"My personal perspective is very clear: Aston Martin will never compete in a prototype category because it has no relevance to us. But if they allowed racing derivatives of road cars, that would be very interesting to us and, I suspect, the fans," he explained.

He added a Valklyrie -- which isn't out yet, but will make its debut next year -- competing for first place against a Porsche 918 Spyder, a McLaren P1, and a Ferrari LaFerrari would be quite the show. It might also inspire other auto-makers to build similar street-legal cars.

The WEC hasn't revealed whether it will change the rules, or what modifications it has in store. We suspect we'll learn more about the sport's future in the coming months.

Aston Martin Valkyrie prototype pictured. Photography by Ronan Glon.