Aston Martin owner vows F1 team will "make people sit up and take notice"

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Aston Martin owner vows F1 team will "make people sit up and take notice"

The name returns to F1 after a 61-year absence

Ian Parkes

Tuesday 19 January 2021 14:29

Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll is confident his Formula 1 team will "make people sit up and take notice" when it returns to the grid this season after a 61-year absence.

Following its recent transformation from Racing Point, Stroll is determined to leverage the iconic brand name as much as possible as part of the overall company's evolution since the Canadian billionaire bought a majority stake in the luxury car manufacturer.

Stroll now views the F1 team, that recently announced US-based IT company Cognizant as its title partner, as "the centrepiece of our marketing strategy and a key component of the business"

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The 61-year-old additionally believes the team "will bring a new attitude and energy with it, expanding our appeal beyond the existing core and casual Formula One fans.

"Whether it’s results on the racetrack, expanding our presence in emerging platforms like Esports, or delivering exciting new activations, we want to make people sit up and take notice.

"The arrival of Cognizant is the first exciting step in our drive forward. Formula One is also the perfect shop window for Aston Martin as a brand and the amazing cars we produce.

"There has been plenty of talk about road relevance in Formula One in recent seasons, and we will see genuine trickle-down of technology and innovation from the track to the road.

"We will demonstrate those links between Formula One and the road cars, especially with our mid-engine range that will be launched in the future.”

As Racing Point, the team enjoyed a strong campaign last season, finishing fourth in the constructors' championship, albeit dogged by the 'copygate' furore earlier in the year.

Stroll has now outlined what he expects from Aston Martin to add to F1.

“Everyone knows what Aston Martin stands for – but the Formula One team will allow us to take the essence of the brand to new places, building on the strong foundations laid by the previous iterations of the team," added Stroll.

"We want to talk to new and wider audiences, engaging them not just with the team but with Formula One itself.

"We’re taking an organisation filled with experienced, passionate racers and combining that with an aspirational lifestyle brand.

"The aim is to appeal to the next generation of fans as well as the hardcore followers, bringing new ideas, energy and attitudes in the process.

"That journey begins now on our way to the exciting moment of launching the first Aston Martin to race at a grand prix weekend in more than six decades.”