"A piece of art that moves" – Fernando's first taste of Valiant at Festival of Speed
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Fernando Alonso opens up about Valiant, the car that tempted him back to the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the first time in years and the product of his unique collaboration with Aston Martin to create the most extreme front-engine road car ever built by the marque.
–By Flora McCullough–
Fernando returned to motorsport's ultimate summer garden party, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, for the eagerly anticipated public debut of Valiant, the car he has collaborated with Aston Martin to create.
Shortly after completing Goodwood's famous Hill Climb behind the wheel of the 745PS supercar, the Spaniard shared his thoughts on his input into the conception of the Valiant, what it was like to drive and how it fits into his growing Aston Martin collection.
A piece of art that moves.
Launched in 2023 to celebrate the 110th anniversary of Aston Martin, Valour embodies everything a limited-edition sports car should have, unless you're Fernando Alonso...
The double Formula One World Champion wanted a more extreme version of the V12 front-engine sports car and Aston Martin's bespoke division, Q by Aston Martin, were happy to oblige.
Originally conceived from a personal commission by the Aston Martin Aramco driver, Valiant is a track-focused, road-legal car described by the Spaniard as "a piece of art that moves."
"When we reviewed the list of things I would love to change, we decided it was better to make a new, limited-edition car with a new name. From that point, we worked on ergonomic devices. More power, less weight, and more grip – it's got everything that a racing driver loves to have."
I wanted to have another go to fully explore its potential – everything came alive.
High praise from Fernando after his thunderous run up Goodwood's famous Hill Climb course in the Valiant.
"The sound and behaviour of the car is a very special way to feel the car, and transmit the passion you feel behind the wheel. The car gives you all the feedback you need," added Fernando.
Valiant was carefully designed and crafted to meet Fernando's exact requirements, enabling him to drive on the limit. Sculpted aerodynamic surfaces and devices; aero disc wheel covers; a manual gearbox; and a low centre of gravity achieved through 100kg of weight saving from the Valour – all add up to the ultimate blend of performance, track-focused dynamics and hypercar intensity.
"I wanted to have another go to fully explore its potential – everything came alive. Multimatic dampers mean the car has really great handling, and the sound of the car with the V12 engine is very special. Another run up Goodwood's famous hill would have been very welcome!"
This is a collectible car, something that I will still want to drive 15 years from now.
Alongside the Valiant, which has been limited to a production of 38 units, Fernando is feeding his passion for the brand by building his ultimate stable of Aston Martins.
Fernando's daily driver at home in Monaco and during race weekends is the DBX707: "It has no roll, no pitch, the car is super stable, it’s a car that I love," – but it is just one part of his growing collection.
Already the proud owner of a 2019 Aston Martin Vantage DTM and expecting delivery of a Valkyrie, Fernando is currently on the hunt for an original DB5.
"I'm in contact with the heritage team to find a DB5. It's a challenging search. I'd love to have the classic Silver Birch and get as close to the original as possible, but there are also some blues and greens that I'm looking into.
"Building this collection is a source of great pleasure for me. Aston Martin is known for its highly collectible cars – for its exclusivity. It's an ultra-luxury brand and a unique brand that makes you feel very special as a driver, as an owner, and as a fan of its cars."
FERNANDO DEBUTS VALIANT
Experience the roar of the engines, the elegance of the design and the thrill of the race in this pulsating recap of Aston Martin's unforgettable performance at Goodwood.
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