Fernando Alonso takes delivery of Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar

Fernando Alonso takes delivery of new Aston Martin Valkyrie

Double world champion Fernando Alonso took to the streets of Monaco following delivery of his Aston Martin Valkyrie; billed as a ‘F1 car for the road’.

Alonso drove his new car out of the iconic Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, showcasing a bespoke specification created in partnership with the design team at Aston Martin’s bespoke service, Q by Aston Martin.

Taking inspiration from his Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team AMR24 race car, Alonso’s Valkyrie is painted in Satin Aston Martin Racing Green with bespoke contrasting AMR Satin Lime Graphics, emphasising the aerodynamic highlights of the hypercar.

Fernando Alonso takes delivery of new Aston Martin Valkyrie

Exposed Carbon Fibre adorns the roof, engine cover, and lower aero and a Titanium Aston Martin Wings badge sits proudly on the nose. A bespoke ‘CAUTION HOT’ graphic has also been applied to the rear.

Possibly the most intricate detail is in fact one that most will not see: A red anodised aluminium accelerator pedal etched with the number ‘14’, paying homage of course to Fernando Alonso’s driver number, chosen at the age of 14 on 14 July 1996 when he became karting world champion with #14.

“It’s hard to put into words how much I have been looking forward to this day”, said Alonso.

“To sit at the wheel of my own Valkyrie; one that I have worked on designing so closely with the team at Q by Aston Martin is certainly a day to remember.

“Valkyrie truly is an F1 car for the road, with so much of the knowledge and technology taken from all the experience Aston Martin has on track and I can’t wait to hit the road.”

Accelerating from 0-60mph in under 2.5 seconds and boasting a hybrid 6.5-litre V12 powertrain developing a maximum power of 1,155PS, the Aston Martin Valkyrie incorporates a ferocious combination of F1 inspired aerodynamics and performance, delivering one of the most intense driving experiences achievable on the road.

Like all Aston Martin sports cars, Valkyrie is being built at the marque’s UK Headquarters in Gaydon. 

A dedicated project delivery team manages the build right through to delivery in a specially commissioned Valkyrie production area.  A team of highly skilled technicians hand-build each of the 150 cars, with each Valkyrie taking over 2,000 man hours to create.

Before each Valkyrie is delivered, it is track-tested at the Aston Martin high performance facility at the home of British Motorsport, Silverstone where much of the development of the hypercar has taken place.

F1 legend Giancarlo Fisichella becomes tyre brand ambassador

Gareth Herincx

51 mins ago
Auto News

GIANCARLO FISICHELLA BECOMES A VREDESTEIN BRAND AMBASSADOR

Apollo Tyres has sgned three-time Formula 1 race winner Giancarlo Fisichella as its new ambassador for its premium Vredestein passenger car tyre brand.

The two-year agreement will see Fisichella contribute to the test and development of new Vredestein high-performance tyres, make appearances at key events, and feature in online and offline brand communications.

Starting his role in June, Fisichella led the Vredestein team during the latest edition of the iconic 1000 Miglia classic car rally in Italy. Racing from Brescia to Rome and back, he made his debut for the brand behind the wheel of a 1953 Simca Aronde S.

“Giancarlo is highly respected among performance car enthusiasts so he is the perfect fit for the Vredestein brand,” said Yves Pouliquen, VP Commercial at Apollo Tyres.

“In addition, his wealth of knowledge gained over many years in top-tier motorsport can help guide our R&D teams as they bring new products and technical innovations to market.”

Fisichella’s 13-year Formula 1 career started with the Minardi team and was followed by stints at Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault, Force India and Ferrari. During this time, he secured three Grand Prix wins.

After leaving Formula 1, Fisichella transitioned to sports car racing, including competing in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. He and his team triumphed in the GTE-Pro class, securing first place in both 2012 and 2014.

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F1 legend Mika Häkkinen designs luxury electric superbike

Mika Häkkinen and Verge Motorcycles

Two-time Formula champion Mika Häkkinen has teamed up with Verge Motorcycles to launch a limited edition model limited to just 100 bikes.

Designed by Finnish star, it features a stylish and bold design combined with Verge’s unique technology.

“I know from experience what it takes to develop a vehicle that embodies speed, precision and elegance,” said Mika.

“I wanted to design the bike right down to the smallest detail rather than just picking the colour. Each bike is numbered and features an exclusive signature.”

Mika Häkkinen and Verge Motorcycles

Perfected down to the last detail, the model represents the most powerful and advanced electric superbike on the market with a range of 217 miles and a fast-charging time of just 35 minutes.

In addition, it features an integrated rim motor inside the rear wheel, which is a patented and internationally awarded innovation developed by Verge.

The bike is made of the highest quality materials on the market, making the final product truly unique. For example, it has carbon fibre fairings and a unique ceramic surface treatment that protects against scratches.

Full black shock absorbers and details combined with dark grey and silver surface elements complete the powerful and elegant look.

The bike is available for purchase via the Verge Motorcycles online store in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Estonia and Monaco. It can also be purchased from the new Verge Motorcycles flagship store in Monaco. The retail price of the bike before tax is 80,000 euros (£70,000).

The partnership started at the beginning of the year, when Mika (also one of the investors in Verge Motorcycles) was appointed to the company’s Advisory Board.

“We are extremely proud to have F1 legend Mika Häkkinen design the signature model,” said says Tuomo Lehtimäki, CEO of Verge Motorcycles.

“He is one of the greatest drivers of all time, and breaking boundaries and enjoying the thrill of speed is something that we very much share in common.”

RIP Ken Block, Dakar or Bust, R8 vs R8, Roadtripping an e-tron 5K Miles & More! | AudiWorld Driven

Audi Newslost a motorsports legend. But there were some bright spots as well such as Audi competing in the Dakar rally. It was a lot to try to keep track of in only one week, so we handpicked just for you some of the top Audi news items to keep you up to date. End your week by catching up with all the hot Audi news that you may have missed as we charged into a brand-new year.

Ken Block Tragically Killed

Ken BlockHERE.

Dakar Power Boost

DakarHERE.

Audi F1 Driver Search

Audi NewsHERE. 

Must Watch Video: Trading a Porsche 911 for an Audi S8

Matt Watson from Carwow was cruising around in a Porsche 911 Turbo S as his daily driver. But with a growing family he needed a bit more room than the 911 could provide. So how do you replace a rocket ship like a Turbo S? With an Audi S8 of course! Watson can choose just about any car he wants so him deciding that the S8 would be best speaks volumes about the car itself.

Must Watch Video: Final R8 vs First R8

Sadly the Audi R8 days are coming to a close. With R8 production ending the folks at Top Gear thought it would be the perfect time to look at the very first R8 and compare it to the final R8 V10 GT. Can the first R8 hold a candle to the latest, greatest and final version? Check out the video to find out.

Forum Thread of the Week: 5,000 Mile e-tron Road Trip

RIP Ken Block, Dakar or Bust, R8 vs R8, Roadtripping an e-tron 5K Miles & More! | AudiWorld DrivenHERE.

Images: Audi; Audi World forums; DirtFish

Click HERE to join the AudiWorld forums!

Mercedes-AMG One sets new Nurburgring lap record

Home / Auto Video / Mercedes-AMG One sets new Nurburgring lap record

Gareth Herincx

1 day ago
Auto Video

Mercedes-AMG One

The F1-inspired Mercedes-AMG One has become the fastest production car to lap the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife.

The new hypercar clocked 6:35.183 minutes, beating the previous record (set by a Porsche 911 GT2 RS) by a remarkable eight seconds.

Despite less-than-ideal track conditions, DTM racing driver Maro Engel waited until his final attempt to set his hottest lap of the 13-mile “Green Hell”.

“That was really an unforgettable experience,” said Maro, after completing the lap. “I didn’t expect that we would be able to set such a lap time with these track conditions.

“In some crucial areas of the track, it hadn’t dried completely yet and was therefore tricky. That was a special challenge.”

The Mercedes-AMG One is powered by a hybrid setup which combines one combustion engine with four electric motors, delivering 1,049bhp in the process. It has a claimed top speed of 218.7mph, active aerodynamics (including a DRS function) and all-wheel-drive.

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Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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