Aston Martin will be fighting at the front says Szafnauer

Racing Point aim to break into the top three once the takeover by Aston Martin is completed in time for the 2021 season.

Team principal at Racing Point, Otmar Szafnauer has told Formula1.com of his ambition to see the team break into the fight at the front after being rebranded to Aston Martin.

“Our goal is to break into the top three in that time and be competitive at that level and have a chance at winning races and be regular podium finishers,” said Szafnauer.

“Even if we’re not top three, say the top three become top four and we’re part of that, or even top five and someone else joins us, but we’re all competing at that level where the top three currently are, that would be a success for us.

“It’s probably a three-year plan for us. The factory will take a couple of years, and hiring the right people takes a couple of years, and during that transition phase, you won’t be at a 100% at where you want to be until you get there, and then you have got to work together.

“So it’s a three-year plan, but every year we should be getting better, we should never take a step backwards.”

In 2019 the team limped home to seventh in the constructors standings but, as Force India, the team achieved back-to-back fourth place constructors' finishes in 2016 and 2017.

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