Sarah Jacobson The father of F1’s most successful team, Bernie Ecclestone, has said that Aston Martin will have to wait until 2021 for their first Formula 1 titles.
Lawrence Stroll is the CEO of Aston Martin. He says that the company will have to wait for titles in Formula 1 before they can make a comeback.
5 Live and the Sport website are broadcasting the British Grand Prix live.
Lawrence Stroll, the owner of the Aston Martin racing team, believes it will take another four or five years for his team to achieve his goal of competing for the Formula One championship.
After winning a race last year, Stroll expected Aston to improve this year, but they are now sixth in the championship after nine races.
He said, “I don’t believe we can hope to win in four or five years.”
The Canadian millionaire is undergoing a reorganization that will see his workforce grow from 500 to 800 people.
Stroll has hired Dan Fallows, the head of aerodynamics at Red Bull, as Aston Martin’s new technical director, despite the fact that his current team says he won’t be able to join Aston Martin “within the next couple of years.”
This is just one of a slew of high-profile new signings, with another set to be revealed this week, according to Stroll.
Accepting the loss of competitiveness as a given
After taking over the renowned British sports car brand last year, Stroll changed the name of his squad from Racing Point to Aston Martin. This weekend will be the first time since 1959 that an Aston Martin vehicle has competed in the British Grand Prix.
Last season, the team finished fourth in the constructors’ championship, with Stroll aiming for a step forward in 2021.
However, unlike most other clubs, the squad has been adversely impacted by a rule change this season.
They, like Mercedes, whose vehicle Aston Martin imitates, follow a distinct design philosophy than the rest of the field. In contrast to the other cars, notably the championship-leading Red Bull, which pioneered the opposite ‘high-rake’ concept, this utilizes a shallow angle from front to back – known as low-rake.
After a regulation modification that took away part of the rear floor to keep cornering speeds under control, Mercedes and Aston Martin have lost more performance than any other teams save backmarker Haas.
Stroll opposed to the rule change and attempted to reverse it at first, but has now accepted it.
“With the cut in the floor with the aero regs, this year was a very contentious year,” Stroll remarked at a press briefing before the British Grand Prix.
“I’m sure you’re all aware that the two low-rake cars lost approximately a second each lap. It’s no coincidence that Mercedes is battling for a title that they have comfortably won for many years.
“The drop in performance from this year to previous year is due to a change in regulations that has severely penalized us and Mercedes.”
Stroll defended his aggressive attitude to competition, which has been criticized by several of his competitors.
“In Formula One, there are a lot of strong personalities and clever individuals,” he remarked. “I don’t believe you’ll achieve in this or any other sport if you’re going to be pushed about.”
“I’ve stood up for what I think is right. I haven’t put a lot of money into this business if we aren’t going to compete for global titles, therefore we’ll do all we can within the rules to win.”
Lance Stroll, Lance’s father, is the team’s driver.
A deviation from the original plan
F1 will adopt a whole new set of technical regulations next year in an attempt to narrow the field, but Stroll thinks Aston Martin will still need time to catch up.
“I have a track record of winning in pretty much every other company I own,” Stroll added. “Of course, in Formula One, it means world championships. That is, in the end, what we are aiming for.
“Of course, we all know that success in Formula One, or any other industry, does not happen quickly. Putting the appropriate people, technologies, and procedures in place may take years.
“However, we’re developing and investing in our squad with the goal of progressing up the grid year after year, with the ultimate goal of winning world championships.”
The team plans to relocate into a new facility next year and construct its own wind-tunnel, an aerodynamic design tool, as part of its expansion strategy.
Aston Martin had originally intended to share the Mercedes tunnel, thinking that having their own “didn’t make any sense” due to regulatory limitations.
Stroll, on the other hand, claimed that his chief technical officer, Andrew Green, had altered his opinion about the matter.
“He returned to me and said, ‘I’ve realized there’s an upside potential on the times and availability we now have utilizing Mercedes to having the luxury of owning our own.’
“‘If you truly want to be world champion, it’s a tool we’ll need,’ he said. That change of heart cost me a lot of money. His first idea pleased me.”
The driver lineup has a high level of confidence.
Sebastian Vettel, a four-time champion, and Lance Stroll, Aston Martin’s son, are among the team’s drivers.
Stroll said that he had no concerns about Lance’s ability to compete at the top level.
“I believe Lance has done an outstanding job,” stated Stroll. “He’s 22 years old.” His results, whether he was on pole or on many podiums, were outstanding. He’s competing with Sebastian this year, and they’re probably about equal. As a result, I have no worries or suspicions that Lance is underperforming.
“As he matures, he will get more experience, and with experience, he will become stronger.”
Vettel had a “slow start” to the 2021 season, according to Stroll, who arrived following a tough last two years at Ferrari when he was outpaced by teammate Charles Leclerc, but added: “He is doing a fantastic job now.”
Formula 1 2019 standings is a blog post by Lawrence Stroll, the CEO of Aston Martin. In the post, he says that Aston Martin will have to wait for Formula 1 titles until 2021. Reference: formula 1 2019 standings.
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