Lawrence Stroll says Formula 1 is where Aston Martin belong to be as the legendary marque prepares for its return to the highest level of single-seater racing in 2021.
After taking over the ailing Sahara Force India F1 Team midway through the 2018 season, Stroll rebranded the team as the BWT Racing Point Formula One Team for the next two campaigns, with a race win and three podium finishes coming their way in 2020.
2021 will see a further rebranding to include the Aston Martin name, and Stroll, the Chairman of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, says returning the name to Formula 1 will play a ‘key part’ in the strategy of the company, with motorsport continuing to be an integral part of the company’s story.
“Formula 1 is a hugely powerful platform that will play a key part in the overall Aston Martin strategy as we seek to take the company forward,” said Stroll. “It is a truly global sport with a huge audience that we believe can help reignite the brand and further increase its desirability all over the world.
“We have already begun to see the results of our hard work with the exciting announcement of Cognizant as title partner, which will play a key role in our digital transformation. Motorsport has always been an important part of the Aston Martin story, right from its early days, and we’re all proud to be adding to that legacy.
“The return of Aston Martin to Formula 1 after more than 60 years away is also a landmark moment in the history of the sport. This is the arena where many of the world’s biggest and best automotive manufacturers have competed and had success, so it’s a hugely exciting challenge for everyone involved as we aim to get this iconic British sports car brand amongst those names.
“Plain and simple, it’s where Aston Martin should be. This is a brand that has already had huge success in top-level international motorsport such as the Le Mans 24 Hours – and now we have an opportunity to write a new page in the history books.
“That’s a hugely exciting prospect for anyone who is a lover of the Aston Martin brand, for fans of Formula 1 and the sport itself.”
“Formula 1 is also the perfect shop window for Aston Martin as a brand”
Stroll says Formula 1 is the ‘centrepiece’ of Aston Martin’s strategy, and he believes expanding the name into the sport will bring in additional fans.
As a result, he says it is important for the team to make people ‘sit up and notice’, and the arrival of Cognizant as lead sponsor is a small sign of what’s to come for the team. Stroll believes Formula 1 will be a ‘perfect shop window’ for the Aston Martin brand, both on a motorsport front and with regards to the road cars it produces.
“It’s the centrepiece of our marketing strategy and a key component of the business,” he said. “The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team will bring a new attitude and energy with it, expanding our appeal beyond the existing core and casual Formula 1 fans.
“Whether it’s results on the racetrack, expanding our presence in emerging platforms like Esports, or delivering exciting new activations, we want to make people sit up and take notice. The arrival of Cognizant is the first exciting step in our drive forward.
“Formula 1 is also the perfect shop window for Aston Martin as a brand and the amazing cars we produce. There has been plenty of talk about road relevance in Formula 1 in recent seasons, and we will see genuine trickle-down of technology and innovation from the track to the road.
“We will demonstrate those links between Formula 1 and the road cars, especially with our mid-engine range that will be launched in the future.”
“Everyone knows what Aston Martin stands for”
Stroll says he hopes bringing in the Aston Martin name back to Formula 1 will appeal to both the new and hardcore fans of the sport, and he wants to build on the team’s ‘strong foundations laid by the previous iterations of the team’.
“Everyone knows what Aston Martin stands for – but the Formula 1 team will allow us to take the essence of the brand to new places, building on the strong foundations laid by the previous iterations of the team,” said the Canadian.
“We want to talk to new and wider audiences, engaging them not just with the team but with Formula 1 itself. We’re taking an organisation filled with experienced, passionate racers and combining that with an aspirational lifestyle brand.
“The aim is to appeal to the next generation of fans as well as the hardcore followers, bringing new ideas, energy and attitudes in the process. That journey begins now on our way to the exciting moment of launching the first Aston Martin to race at a Grand Prix weekend in more than six decades.
“We are investing in everything we do – especially in areas such as social media to tell this wonderful story. We want this to be a team for everyone – reaching out beyond the sport but remembering the dedicated fans that have brought us to where we are today. To achieve that we’ll need to think outside of the box – and I’m hoping everybody will see us doing just that with a fresh and modern identity for the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team.”
