It’s been 18 months since current Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll took over the Force India F1 team, changing its name in the process. Now, a consortium led by Stroll invested $240 million in Aston Martin, taking a 16.7% stake in the British carmaker.
The result of this deal, as far as the Formula 1 landscape is concerned, is that Racing Point will be rebranded as the Aston Martin works team, in time for the 2021 season.
Choosing to wait for 2021 makes perfect sense, seen as how we’re already approaching the start of the 2020 season and teams are about to begin pre-season testing. On top of that, 2021 will bring with it some ground-breaking rule changes, possibly making a rookie factory outfit like Aston Martin less of an underdog.
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We use the term “rookie outfit” loosely, seen as how Aston Martin has been present in F1 before in such an official capacity. The British team took part in five races some 60 years ago, managing to secure 6th place at the 1959 British and Portuguese Grand Prix.
This news also puts to rest rumors that had Racing Point being sold either to Russian billionaire Dmitry Mazepin, or absorbed by Geely.
Meanwhile, Red Bull have confirmed that their current title sponsorship with Aston Martin will conclude at the end of this year, although the two companies will still collaborate on the Valkyrie road car project.
As for what 2020 will hold for Racing Point, the team will begin winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya on February 19, but not before unveiling this year’s car on February 17 in Mondsee, Austria.
