Aston Martin returning to F1 for first time in six decades - News

The dust has only just settled on last year’s Formula 1 season - an eventful one for many reasons - but already there are exciting developments abound for 2021’s championships; not least of all, the news of a surprise return to the track from a well known name.

Following the investment of £182 million into their brand by Racing Point’s chief executive Lawrence Stroll early last year, it has been confirmed that Aston Martin are making a hotly anticipated comeback as a team name in the next F1 season, with Racing Point’s team being commercially rebranded as the Aston Martin F1 Team to reflect this.

To find the last time the legendary British supercar kings - and producers of James Bond’s fleet of vehicles - competed, you have to go back to 1960, when they produced the DBR5 that was raced by Roy Salvadori for Great Britain.

History records that the previous two seasons they entered (1959 was the other) were fraught with technical difficulties (models being delayed due to other projects, race start failures) and a catalogue of poor finishes.

However, as the former Racing Point F1 Team have enjoyed a wealth of success since their debut at the Australian Grand Prix back in 2019 - including pole position at last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix and a further four podium finishes - this new partnership will undoubtedly provide Aston Martin an opportunity to rebuild their standing in motorsports.

Their re-entry into the world of F1 will commence with a big launch event, taking place at their Gaydon base in Warwickshire in February, where they will unveil their new team racing livery and their lineup of team drivers, which will include Sebastian Vettel, who is himself a four time Formula One World Championship winner, and current Racing Point team member Lance Stroll, who clocked up two podiums as recently as the 2020 season.

At TrackDays, we’ll be watching with interest to see how the new Aston Martin F1 Team progresses this year. Not only to see if they can enjoy success in their new venture with Racing Point, but also to see if the fans will welcome their return after 60 years away from the circuit.