Chaotic 2020 made Aston Martin birth a "mammoth task" - Szafnauer

Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer has described the challenge of laying the foundations for a successful future in tandem with last year's bitter constructors' championship battle as "a mammoth task".

As Racing Point, the Silverstone-based team fought a tense scrap with McLaren and Renault throughout the Covid-hit campaign before finishing fourth, scoring the highest points total in its history.

Behind the scenes, Szafnauer and his team were working hard to ensure the foundations were in place for a smooth and successful transition to Aston Martin.

“It has been a mammoth task," said Szafnauer.

"It’s easy to forget that we’ve been putting the groundwork in place for a brand-new era alongside a very challenging global setting, all the while balancing those tasks with our most successful Formula 1 season to date – including a race win and multiple podium finishes en route to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.

"Everybody involved should be extremely proud of that achievement and I think it demonstrates that while this is a new team name and identity, we have retained the strong backbone that has guided us through some tough times to where we are today."

As Jordan, Force India and Racing Point, the team has often been viewed as one that punches above its weight but, with the Aston Martin name and increased budget, Szafnauer is aware expectations will equally rise.

He added: "While the challenge was once establishing ourselves as the most efficient team on the grid, now there’s an exciting opportunity to establish ourselves as a top team, while still maintaining that efficiency, in order to add an exciting chapter to the Aston Martin legacy."

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