F1 team ‘can do Aston Martin name proud from the start’ - Szafnauer

The newly rebranded Aston Martin Formula 1 team can do the iconic brand name proud “right from the get-go” in 2021, according to team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

Racing Point officially transitioned into the Aston Martin F1 Team on 1 January, with the luxury British carmaker’s name returning to the F1 grid in 2021 following Canadian billionaire businessman Lawrence Stroll’s takeover of the firm last year.

The team will field a revised driver line-up featuring four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who signed following his Ferrari departure, and Lance Stroll. Aston Martin is expected to race in its traditional green colour scheme and has announced it will be revealing its 2021 car and livery in February.

“We’ve had almost a year of preparation to reach this point and we’re really looking forward to seeing the reaction when we finally unveil our new identity as the Aston Martin Formula One Team,” said Szafnauer.

“Representing such an iconic brand is a huge privilege for every member of the team. We’ve earned a well-deserved reputation for punching above our weight, so we’re confident we can do the Aston Martin name proud right from the get-go.

“It’s the start of a new journey and I can sense an extra energy in the team, with a determination to push performance further than ever before.

“Combined with some of the most creative minds in the business, a true racers’ mentality and the can-do spirit that has served us so well through the years, we have every reason to be excited about the future.”

New year, new me. #IAMF1 pic.twitter.com/6wTC3ZaHIS

— Aston Martin F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) January 1, 2021

Executive chairman Stroll said the team’s involvement in F1 will help reignite the Aston Martin brand on a global scale.

“Formula 1 is a hugely powerful platform that will play a key part in the overall Aston Martin strategy as we seek to take the company forward,” Stroll added.

“It is a truly global sport with a huge audience that we believe can help reignite the brand and further increase its desirability all over the world.

“This is a brand that has already had huge success in top-level international motorsport such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and now we have an opportunity to write a new page in the history books.

“That’s a hugely exciting prospect for anyone who is a lover of the Aston Martin brand, for fans of Formula 1 and the sport itself.”