Szafnauer: Aston Martin set on becoming a 'top team' in F1

Racing Point team boss Otmar Szafnauer says Aston Martin and Lawrence Stroll ambition to transform the Silverstone-based outfit into one of the sport's "top teams".

Stroll's plans of moving Racing Point up the grid following the Canadian billionaire's takeover of Force India are slowly gaining traction.

A new factory is set to break ground later this year and will provide the team with a modern infrastructure aligned with its bullish plans.

But the recent announcement of Stroll's involvement in reviving Aston Martin's fortunes and the subsequent works tie-up with Racing Point has added an extra dose of energy to the team's aspirations.

"It’s significant news for Aston Martin and for Formula 1 itself," Szafnauer commented.

"As one of the most iconic sports car brands in the world, Aston Martin needed a presence on the F1 grid and this solution delivers a fully-fledged works Aston Martin F1 Team from 2021 onwards.

• Racing Point to become works Aston Martin team in 2021!

"It’s news that will excite fans around the world and will shine a spotlight on a brand that is widely regarded as Britain’s finest luxury sports car manufacturer.

"It’s certainly provides a real injection of energy for the 465 loyal and hard-working staff in Silverstone.

"The team has been in business, under various names, for 30 years and is more than ready to become a manufacturer team.

"Lawrence [Stroll] spoke to the staff last week and set out the clear objective to establish Aston Martin as one of the top teams in the sport.

"Everyone is proud to represent a legendary car manufacturer returning to the pinnacle of motorsport."

The team's rebranding will take hold from 2021 and will include a series of mutually beneficial exchanges between the F1 team and the luxury auto manufacturer.

"Creating a works F1 team achieves a number of objectives for Aston Martin," added Szafnauer.

"It delivers a high-profile marketing platform for the road car division, which will enhance commercial appeal in all areas of the business.

"There is also the obvious technical collaboration between the F1 programme and the road cars, with F1 technology filtering through to the products Aston Martin launches in the years ahead.

"This is particularly relevant to the mid-engine philosophy that is just around the corner.

"The competitive environment of racing is a rich avenue for innovation and the opportunity for technology cross-over is incredibly exciting."

As the team undergoes its transformation, Szafnauer underscored the importance for Racing Point to remain focused on the upcoming campaign and the immediate job at hand.

"There’s no immediate impact on our current campaign and we will continue to compete as Racing Point until the rebrand takes place at the start of the 2021 season," explained the American executive.

"From then we will be known simply as ‘Aston Martin F1 Team’ - so the Racing Point name will disappear.

"It’s exciting to transition into a manufacturer team and we’ve got the best part of a year to make all those changes – much of which will be happening behind-the-scenes.

"It’s important we don’t take our eyes off the main task for 2020, which is to be competitive on the racetrack with the RP20."

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