Aston Martin returns to Formula 1 this year with its own team and racing car – the AMR21. The new contender will be the first works Formula 1 car to carry the famous wings since Maurice Trintignant’s DBR5 crossed the finish line at Silverstone in 1960.
Officially known as the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, the team’s two drivers will be 4-time F1 World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, and rising star Lance Stroll (who happens to be the son of Aston Martin’s Executive Chairman).
Not a fresh new team
The team also boasts a strong bloodline, building on the foundations of Team Silverstone which, in its various guises has won 5 GPs, and is coming off the back of a race-winning campaign as the Racing Point Formula One Team, having been revitalized under the leadership of Lawrence Stroll and Team Principal and CEO Otmar Szafnauer.
“I’ve dreamed about this day for a very long time. I’ve always been a car guy and I’ve always loved racing, too. My first dream was to own a Formula One team. My second dream was to acquire a significant shareholding in Aston Martin Lagonda. Today is about the merging of those two dreams. So, as I say, today is all about dreams, and it shows that dreams really can come true, in the shape of our new AMR21,” Aston Martin’s Executive Chairman said.
Mercedes-AMG engine
The new AMR21, powered by a turbocharged Mercedes-AMG F1 M12 E Performance engine with hybrid energy recovery, ran for the first time at Silverstone in England during a promotional event today. Next week, the team will begin a full test programme at Bahrain, where the opening round will also be held on March 28.
The AMR21 carries a striking Aston Martin Racing Green livery in recognition of Aston Martin’s traditional racing colours and glorious sporting legacy. It is also bedecked by a host of global partners, led by American IT giant Cognizant, while the chassis features a magenta stripe down the side in reference to the team’s longstanding partner BWT.
Showcase for the brand
The spotlight is also on an energizing shift within Aston Martin as the team is set to become the global showcase for the brand’s engineering and performance capabilities. A new 200,000 square-foot facility will complement the existing Aston Martin F1 factory at Silverstone when completed in the second half of 2022, and the team is well positioned to become an innovation lab to drive forward the brand’s future road car technologies. These will include the suite of mid-engined sportscars, inspired by the Aston Martin Valkyrie, which will become central to the product portfolio through the next decade.
“Today is a truly historic moment for Aston Martin, as we return to the pinnacle of motorsport for the first time in more than 60 years. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team will have far-reaching positive effects on the Aston Martin brand, our culture, and the design and technology of Aston Martin road cars. Our return to Formula One will positively and profoundly affect every employee and foremost our customer journey all over the world; and will help us bring a focused, agile Formula One way of thinking to the whole Aston Martin business,” said the CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda, Tobias Moers.
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