Opinion: F1 efforts will support Aston Martin transformation Car News

Even after all the hype, there was still something a little surreal about seeing Aston Martin’s Racing Green British Formula 1 machines in action. Even though she’s tried to sponsor the Red Bull team in recent years, when you think of Aston Martin in motorsport you tend to think of sports cars, not single-seaters.

It also seems odd given Aston’s struggles in recent years, and particularly in light of the vast publicity the company is able to generate from its James Bond ties and GT racing program, presumably at a fraction of the cost of running two cars. in the top midfielder of F1.

So why is Aston Martin in F1? Because it represents what Aston Martin wants to be: a British Ferrari. It’s not exactly a secret. He’s a chairman of the line that Lawrence Stroll has expressed with enthusiasm since taking over the company last year.

Obviously, the key to this is to push the brand up into the market, launch more desirable and exclusive road cars, and command higher premiums. But entering F1 is essentially Aston parking its high-powered single-seater tanks on Ferrari’s lawn, a statement of intent that the whole ethos of the British firm is changing.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Stroll has had an F1 team since he bought the assets of the Force India squad collapse in 2018, in part to ensure his son Lance can keep racing. The name Racing Point which was quickly adopted had neither legacy nor fairness behind it. Changing the team’s name to Aston Martin helps to attract attention, publicize and potentially sponsor higher value.

So it all makes perfect sense. Well, maybe: Ford’s attempt to push Jaguar as a premium brand through F1 in the early 2000s didn’t go very well. But, if done right, Aston Martin can use F1 as a powerful tool to really push its transformation. You’ll know it’s been successful when these green cars stop looking surreal.

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