Aston Martin owner Stroll targets world titles for rebranded F1 team

Aston Martin Formula 1 team owner Lawrence Stroll believes his side has what it takes to become world champions.

The rebranded Racing Point outfit will bring the iconic British car brand name Aston Martin back to the F1 grid this year, with an announcement on Thursday confirming the team has secured a multi-year deal with American IT consulting company Cognizant to become its new title sponsor.

Under its previous Racing Point guise, the Silverstone-based squad finished fourth in the 2020 constructors’ championship and claimed its first victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix.

And Stroll wants more podiums and victories to follow in 2021 and beyond as he set the Aston Martin team the target of establishing itself as a world-championship winning outfit in the coming years.

"My aim with this, like the other businesses I've owned, is to win," Stroll told BBC Sport.

"F1 is a process that takes years to be successful; it is not an overnight thing, but no business is built overnight.

"This will be the same. I want to continue where we finished last year, only stronger.

"We had several podiums, we had a win. I'd like this year to have several more podiums and another win or two - step by step fighting for more and more wins.”

Stroll revealed he discussed the prospect of transforming Aston Martin into a championship-winning side with team principal Otmar Szafnauer and technical director Andrew Green.

"I said: 'We have the new rules coming in for 2022, we are here to win, it's why I'm here, it's why we're all here, but I have the ability to give us the resources we need to win," he added.

"What would we do if anything differently in order to become world champions?’ And Andy said: 'My initial answer is I don't think I would change a whole lot.’"

Stroll pointed to the signing of four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel as underlining the team’s ambition, adding he believes the German will get back to his best after a difficult few seasons and help Aston Martin succeed in making the next step.

"Sebastian had a very challenging year last year," he said.

"All of us would find it challenging that you lose your job before the season starts. That's mentally very difficult, and you know how mental a game F1 is for drivers.

"He had a car he found tricky to drive that didn't suit his driving style. We've seen that before in his last year at Red Bull [in 2014].

"But he's a four-time world champion. I don't think he forgot how to drive in one year. He has a work ethic that is known as second to none in the paddock in terms of how hard he works.

"One of the ways we are going to be world champions is to get my guys to think and act like world champions. And how you do that is bring a four-time world champion into the team.

"He is going to take the team in a direction of leading us to where ultimately we want to be.

"I am not concerned," Stroll added. "I know Sebastian well, and I have 100% confidence and belief he will do a fantastic job with us. He is more motivated than he has ever been."