Racing Point team principal Otmar Szafnauer has set lofty goals for the team, as he plans to have the team competing with the likes of Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari within the next couple of years at the top of Formula 1.
The team formerly known as Force India has plans for rapid growth, with new funding coming from a consortium led by Lawrence Stroll, that is already beginning to take shape. The Silverstone based operation is already growing their team personnel and their factory, having a net gain of 60 employees since the team’s rebirth as Racing Point.
The team will also be going under another metamorphosis, as they are set to become the Aston Martin works team for 2021.
All of these plans line up with the new regulation changes and cost cap, and have allowed Szafnauer to lay out a three year plan that will put the team at the level of the current big three by its end.
“Our goal is to break into the top three in that time and be competitive at that level and have a chance at winning races and be regular podium finishers,” Szafnauer told Formula1.com.
“Even if we’re not top three, say the top three become top four and we’re part of that, or even top five and someone else joins us, but we’re all competing at that level where the top three currently are, that would be a success for us.
“It’s probably a three-year plan for us. The factory will take a couple of years, and hiring the right people takes a couple of years, and during that transition phase, you won’t be at a 100% at where you want to be until you get there, and then you have got to work together.
“So it’s a three-year plan, but every year we should be getting better, we should never take a step backwards.”
Obviously, the coronavirus has slowed things down a bit. For example, the new factory that is under construction had hopes of opening next summer, but will likely be delayed until at least the autumn. However this won’t stop Szafnauer and company from fighting to climb the grid and reach the glory currently enjoyed by the teams at the top.
