Sakhir, Bahrain
Roman De Angelis and the No. 009 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Valkyrie wrapped up the FIA World Endurance Championship season with a P7 at the 8 Hours of Bahrain.
After a strong showing in practice and qualifying — where Aston Martin topped Free Practice 1 and locked out the top two spots in Hypercar qualifying’s opening segment — the team carried solid momentum into the finale. Starting fourth, the No. 009 held steady through the opening stints, with De Angelis delivering a smooth start before handing over to Alex Riberas.
Mid-race strategy saw the team briefly take the lead after an early tire change under a Virtual Safety Car, but a subsequent drive-through penalty and limited fresh tire allocation later in the race made it difficult to maintain position. Despite the setback, the crew managed consistent pace and brought the car home inside the top ten — marking the Valkyrie’s first laps led in WEC competition and the strongest overall weekend for the program to date.
