Aston Martin has “all the ingredients” to achieve more Formula 1 victories and make it difficult for Mercedes to retain the titles of their designers and drivers. Sebastian Vettel has joined the team, renamed from Racing Point, hoping to make life harder for Lewis Hamilton to win a record-breaking eighth world championship.
Racing Point finished fourth in the Constructors’ category in 2020 but was disappointed when McLaren popped at the peak of the season and won the Sakhir Grand Prix through Sergio Perez.
Since then, Racing Point has been converted into the works group of the British automaker Aston Martin, replacing Perez, who came to Red Bull, with Vettel.
Lance Stroll, the son of part owner Lawrence Stroll, will compete with the four-time world champion in order to improve on last season.
And team boss Otmar Szafnauer believes the Silverstone-based team has the structure to make further improvements in 2021.
Part of their goal is to improve the number of race wins in the 23-race season starting March 28 in Bahrain as the teams seek to give Hamilton more competition at the top of the grid.
Their hopes are carried by 33-year-old Vettel, who has experience of 53 race wins and 121 podiums, although the German has only scored 33 points in his last few years with Ferrari and was 13th in the final ‘ranking.
Last season, Hamilton reached Michael Schumacher’s record of seven titles and ended the season 124 points ahead of his Finnish team-mate Valtteri Bottas, who finished second.
And an optimistic Szafnauer said: “With a new name, committed shareholders, fresh investments and an experienced team, we believe that we have all the ingredients to fight for even more podiums and hopefully for victories.”
“It is the beginning of a new journey and I can feel additional energy in the team, with the determination to improve further than ever before.
“Combined with some of the most creative minds in the business, a true racing mindset and the skill that has served us so well over the years, we have every reason to look forward to the future.
“It’s easy to forget that we laid the foundations for a brand new era alongside a very challenging global environment, while balancing those endeavors with our most successful F1 season to date – including a race win and multiple podiums.” ends on the way to fourth place in the constructors’ championship,
“Everyone involved should be very proud of this achievement and I think this shows that while this is a new team name and identity, we have retained the strong backbone that has led us through difficult times to this day.
“While the challenge was once how to establish ourselves as the most efficient team on the grid, there is now an exciting opportunity to establish ourselves as the top team while maintaining that efficiency to add an exciting chapter to Aston Martin’s legacy. “
Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll now recognizes that it will be difficult to oust Mercedes as the best starter next season, but believes it is a realistic goal to do so in subsequent seasons.
The Canadian businessman told RaceFans: “First, in my opinion, the biggest thing that has happened to Formula 1 in decades is to bring the Aston Martin name back into Formula 1.
“It’s not just another start-up team, but a team with a 107-year history that is recognized worldwide as an outstanding luxury and performance brand.
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“The whole Aston Martin story, the DNA of this entire company, was based on racing when they drove up Aston Clinton Hill and won Le Mans with Carroll Shelby in 1959 [and the DBR1].
“Not many people understand what it means to bring a team back into Formula 1, the financial size and everything that goes with it.
“I made my plans and ambitions very clear when I became the majority shareholder and CEO of [AML]. We have already checked many of these boxes.
“Since I started last April, the transformation has been monumental, and I think it’s fair to say that the Formula 1 team was equally taken with it: last year to finish the fourth season and challenge what I think we deserved to finish third You know, we were unlucky, a couple of engines burned out in the last few races.
“I think the first step to winning next year will be to be on the podium regularly and win a few races – as we’ve seen we were able to – and then keep knocking on the door of the second .
“I think we can beat Mercedes? Certainly not next year. We’re all very realists. You know, with the new rule changes in 2022, we don’t know what exactly they’re going to mean. The intent is to bring that. ” Field closer, will it work?
“If we succeed, we can probably give something to everyone – not just Mercedes, [but] it could be Red Bull, it could be Ferrari – a run for your money. “
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