Aston Martin F1

[baconsarney]

Just curious… I get the cognizant updates (not sure why).. but I’m wondering, as AM enthusiasts does our love of the marque extend to supporting/wishing well the AM F1 team? I mean it’s not really Aston Martin is it? Or is it? I know the team history (always been an F1 fan) but it’s just a branding exercise isn’t it? Bit of wealth spread maybe even tax break exercise? So just asking, what do you guys think?

[Jon39]

baconsarney said:

Just curious… I get the cognizant updates (not sure why).. but I’m wondering, as AM enthusiasts does our love of the marque extend to supporting/wishing well the AM F1 team? I mean it’s not really Aston Martin is it? Or is it? I know the team history (always been an F1 fan) but it’s just a branding exercise isn’t it? Bit of wealth spread maybe even tax break exercise? So just asking, what do you guys think?

I have never met Lawrence Stroll, but at present I wish him well in steering AML to a continued future.
As Chairman, theoretically his responsibility is the good composition of the board of directors, but I expect he might have a wider involvement, in view of the financial investment by his consortium (and other mates).

Just hope everything goes well. Time will tell, but it would be easy to be a cynic, along the following lines:-

1. LS's main passion seems to be his outright ownership of Racing Point F1 and his son's F1 career. (I think RP remains the limited company title.)
2. Rescuing AML, when it had almost run out of cash and becoming chairman, enabled the Aston Martin name to then be used by the Racing Point F1 team. It is thought that AML pay RP about £10 million a year to have the team name. (What do you think about the LS claim, that the F1 audience is so vast, that there will consequently be a huge number of new buyers of Aston Martin cars ?)
3. Number 2 then resulted in a flood of new sponsorship money to Racing Point F1, by firms who wanted to be associated with Aston Martin.
4. A financial option has been given to AML, for them to buy a stake in Racing Point. Forget the amount, but it might be £800 million.
AML are a bit short of dosh at the moment, but it may be amusing to think about who might sign the cheque. The same person could perhaps post the cheque and then receive the cheque.

Bookmark for 10 years.
Such a cynical opinion must be entirely wrong, surely.

[MMarkM]

Well I think it was a simple question. For me yes I would like the AML F1 team do well. I'd like any of the underdogs to do well to be honest and it certainly wont hurt the brand if AML F1 cars start winning races

[EVR]

I am probably the least interested person in F1 ever, but since AM had an "official" team, I watched a couple races and of course I root for them.

[dbs2000]

I miss the endurance racing team but that series really has a small audience compared. I hope AM do well with F1.

[leerandle]

Well, I'm not an F1 obsessive fan, but will watch if on the TV and was always a general supporter of British teams and drivers. Previously it was always Button and BAR, McLaren, Brawn etc. However, recently I have taken more of an interest and happy for Vettel to do well at Aston Martin. I even bought an Aston Martin cap whilst at the qualifying day at Silverstone this year as it was soo hot.......It must be difficult as a dad to keep your son in the team when he could possibly get a better driver and more points for the constructors championship. It would be an awkward family dinner if ever his dad does decide on a new driver to partner Vettel.

[Red9zero]

dbs2000 said:

I miss the endurance racing team but that series really has a small audience compared. I hope AM do well with F1.

Same here. I was at Le Mans in 2017 and watched the Aston pass the Corvette in front of our grandstand. It didn't feel like a small audience at the time !

[Astontony]

I am ever supportive of Aston at F1. I think Vettel is a great driver given a great product and the Cognizant product is slowly improving and Vettel is slowly gaining better results.
Stroll is also gaining ground and its great to see that Vettel is still no. 1 in the Cognizant qualifying and regularly better placed than the younger whipper snapper.
I hope the development of the car starts to close the gap between the likes of Red Bull and Mercedes and I am hopeful that 2022 will reduce the margin of difference between the manufacturers. Quite frankly the mid field of F1 is more exciting than the top 2 or 3 IMO it is more competitive requires more aggression and is a better watch.

[RL17]

Verstappen in a Valkyrie at Le Mans or a limping nepotistic F1 team - I know which one I'd rather see.

Do wish them better in F1 than current progress - but F1 is a team sport and the teams run deeper than branding.

Perez has done well and feel for him after saving Force India just to be shafted for a Lance :0

[Jon39]

RL17 said:

Perez has done well and feel for him after saving Force India just to be shafted for a Lance.

It did look very unfair for Cheko when the driver change was announced.
Was he earlier, directly instrumental in Lawrence Stroll even having the opportunity to buy the team?

However, I think after the Red Bull deal was agreed, he must have been extremely happy and relieved.
Supposedly a good financial pay off from Racing Point, and then an upward move to one of the two leading teams.

I do not yet know whether Mr Stroll is more passionate about; F1 racing; his son's racing career; AMR GP Holdings Limited (the Racing Point team); or Aston Martin Lagonda (car company, of which he is Chairman). Perhaps we may find out in future years.

As you know, the Aston Martin name is used by the F1 racing team, but any additional connection is minimal.

[SmoothCriminal]

So not only have they poached redbulls chief of aerodynamics they also just got Mercedes Chief aswell.

Who knows when they're going to join though because redbull are saying not for a few years lol.

[Shrimpvende]

I was a big F1 fan before the AML/Red Bull tie up, so certainly before RP became AM. For me, I don't think it's really changed anything nor has it made me really support the team any further. They're still a midfield team that don't get much attention or coverage during race day and I don't really like Lance Stroll. I don't mind Vettel nowadays but lost a lot of respect for him for red mist incidents in previous seasons, culminating in him banging into Hamilton on purpose in Baku.

I honestly think the safety cars have been more positive for the brand. I did have to smile the first time the Vantage was sent out and it was clearly louder than the F1 cars behind, the DBX also looks great as a medical car. I think that's had something to do with the values of the new Vantage creeping up, over and above any covid premium. I'm not a fan of the 'F1 edition' as I think the wing and massive wheels look a bit daft, but no doubt it's put the brand and the car into the spotlight on the world stage and seen at least some uptick in demand off the back of it.