Aston Martin in Formula One
Aston Martin is a name synonymous with British automotive excellence, a marque steeped in luxury and racing heritage. Yet, their journey in the electrifying world of Formula One has been anything but straightforward, marked by an ambitious but challenging start, followed by a dramatic sixty-year absence. From its initial struggles in the late 1950s to its triumphant return as a factory team today, Aston Martin's F1 story is a compelling tale of perseverance, strategic vision, and the relentless pursuit of glory at the pinnacle of motorsport. Aston Martin's ambitious debut in Formula One in 1959-1960 was hampered by an outdated car design and a primary focus on sports car racing success. After a six-decade hiatus, Aston Martin made a high-profile return to F1 in 2021, transforming an existing team into a vibrant new contender with significant investment. The team's future is marked by a crucial factory partnership with Honda for 2026 and the signing of legendary designer Adrian Newey, signaling serious championship aspirations.
AI Summary
Aston Martin is a name synonymous with British automotive excellence, a marque steeped in luxury and racing heritage. Yet, their journey in the electrifying world of Formula One has been anything but straightforward, marked by an ambitious but challenging start, followed by a dramatic sixty-year absence. From its initial struggles in the late 1950s to its triumphant return as a factory team today, Aston Martin's F1 story is a compelling tale of perseverance, strategic vision, and the relentless pursuit of glory at the pinnacle of motorsport.
- Aston Martin's ambitious debut in Formula One in 1959-1960 was hampered by an outdated car design and a primary focus on sports car racing success.
- After a six-decade hiatus, Aston Martin made a high-profile return to F1 in 2021, transforming an existing team into a vibrant new contender with significant investment.
- The team's future is marked by a crucial factory partnership with Honda for 2026 and the signing of legendary designer Adrian Newey, signaling serious championship aspirations.
The First Foray: Ambition Meets Hard Reality
Our story begins in 1959, when Aston Martin, already a celebrated name in endurance racing, decided to conquer Formula One. They unveiled their first purpose-built open-wheel car, the DBR4, hoping to replicate their sports car success on the Grand Prix stage. This was a bold move for the British manufacturer.
However, there was a crucial delay. The DBR4 was actually built and tested in 1957, but Aston Martin prioritized their DBR1 sports car, which went on to win the prestigious 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. While a monumental victory for the company, it meant the DBR4 was already two years old by the time it finally made its F1 debut.
When the DBR4 finally hit the track at the 1959 Dutch Grand Prix, it was already significantly outdated. Competing against lighter, more nimble designs, drivers Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori struggled to keep pace, qualifying near the back of the grid. Both cars retired from the race due to engine failures, a frustrating start.
A Glimmer, Then More Struggles
At the British Grand Prix, Salvadori briefly offered a flash of hope, surprisingly qualifying second. But race day brought more misfortune for Shelby with ignition issues, and Salvadori could only hold onto sixth place, agonizingly missing out on championship points. The team's struggles continued through the Portuguese and Italian Grands Prix, with cars finishing without points or retiring.
For the 1960 season, Aston Martin introduced the DBR5, an evolution of its predecessor featuring independent suspension and a lighter build. Yet, it retained the heavy front-engined layout that was rapidly becoming obsolete as rivals embraced the superior rear-engined designs. The F1 landscape was changing, and Aston Martin was struggling to adapt.
The 1960 Dutch Grand Prix highlighted their predicament. The DBR5 wasn't ready, so Salvadori drove the older DBR4, qualifying 18th. Facing a dispute over payment from race organizers, Aston Martin famously refused to start the race, a clear sign of their growing disillusionment. Their final attempt at the British Grand Prix saw Salvadori retire and Maurice Trintignant finish well down the order.
After these repeated disappointments and failing to score a single championship point in two seasons, Aston Martin made the difficult decision to withdraw from Formula One entirely. The focus shifted back to sports car racing, leaving their Grand Prix ambitions unfulfilled for six long decades.
The Long Road Back: Sponsorships and Rebirth
For years, the idea of Aston Martin returning to F1 was merely speculation. David Richards, who led a consortium owning Aston Martin in 2006, explored a potential return, emphasizing the need for a partnership rather than building from scratch. This never materialized, nor did a similar attempt in 2009.
However, the Aston Martin name did return to the F1 paddock through strategic sponsorships. From 2016 to 2020, they partnered with Red Bull Racing, even becoming title sponsor between 2018 and 2020. This kept the brand visible in the sport, laying groundwork for something bigger.
Lawrence Stroll's Vision: A New Era Begins
The true catalyst for Aston Martin's modern F1 return came in January 2020. Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, owner of the Racing Point F1 Team, made a significant investment, acquiring a 16.7% stake in Aston Martin Lagonda. This wasn't just a sponsorship; it was a full commercial rebranding.
For the 2021 season, Racing Point F1 Team transformed into the Aston Martin F1 Team. The iconic 'BWT pink' livery was replaced with a sophisticated modern iteration of British Racing Green, a nod to Aston Martin's deep heritage. Cognizant joined as the title sponsor, marking a fresh, bold start.
The Aston Martin AMR21, unveiled in March 2021, became the first Aston Martin-branded Formula One car in 61 years. The team continued to utilize reliable Mercedes power units, a partnership that had been in place since 2009 under the team's previous guises.
Building a Competitive Force
To lead their charge, Aston Martin brought in four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel, pairing him with Lawrence Stroll's son, Lance Stroll. This new driver lineup, alongside reserve driver Nico Hülkenberg, signaled serious intent for the team's ambitions.
Vettel quickly delivered Aston Martin's first F1 podium, finishing second at the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While a podium at the Hungarian Grand Prix was later disqualified, the team demonstrated its potential. Behind the scenes, the team began an aggressive expansion, planning to grow its workforce significantly.
Leadership also saw changes, with Mike Krack, a veteran of BMW and Porsche motorsport, taking over as Team Principal in 2022. Saudi oil giant Aramco joined as a joint title sponsor, later becoming the exclusive title sponsor, providing crucial long-term financial backing.
After two seasons, Sebastian Vettel retired from Formula One at the end of 2022, paving the way for another two-time World Champion, Fernando Alonso, to join the team for 2023 on a multi-year contract. This move brought immense experience and talent to the revitalized outfit.
Investing in the Future: A State-of-the-Art Factory
Aston Martin's commitment extends beyond the track. A brand-new, state-of-the-art 37,000 square meter factory complex at Silverstone, directly opposite the circuit, began construction in September 2021. This facility is a testament to the team's long-term vision and ambition.
The complex, featuring three interconnected buildings, houses design, manufacturing, marketing, staff amenities, and logistics. Crucially, it includes a cutting-edge new wind tunnel, commissioned by January 2025. This allows Aston Martin to develop its cars entirely in-house, a critical advantage for competing at the highest level.
The Horizon: Honda and Adrian Newey
Looking ahead, Aston Martin has announced a groundbreaking works partnership with Japanese power unit manufacturer Honda for the 2026 season. This is a monumental shift from their customer Mercedes engines, which they will have used for seventeen seasons.
A 'works partnership' means full factory support from Honda, providing bespoke power units designed specifically for the Aston Martin chassis. This level of integration is often considered essential for any team with genuine aspirations for World Championships, allowing for optimized performance without compromise.
Further solidifying their championship intent, Aston Martin secured the signature of legendary F1 car designer Adrian Newey in September 2024. Newey, who also became a major shareholder, will join the team in March 2025, bringing his unparalleled expertise just in time for the crucial 2026 regulation changes. This move is a clear signal: Aston Martin is here to win.
Race Results: A Tale of Two Eras
1959-1960 Championship Results
Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver NED GBR POR ITA Points WCC 1959 DBR4 Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 A Roy Salvadori Ret 6 6 Ret 0 NC Carroll Shelby Ret Ret 8 10 1960 DBR4/DBR5 Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 D Roy Salvadori DNS Ret 0 NC Maurice Trintignant 11
2021-Present Championship Results
Year Chassis Engine Tyres Driver Points WCC 2021 AMR21 Mercedes M12 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P Lance Stroll 77 7th Sebastian Vettel 2022 AMR22 Mercedes M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P Lance Stroll 55 7th Sebastian Vettel Nico Hülkenberg 2023 AMR23 Mercedes M14 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P Fernando Alonso 280 5th Lance Stroll 2024 AMR24 Mercedes M15 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P Fernando Alonso 94 5th Lance Stroll 2025 AMR25 Mercedes M16 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P Fernando Alonso 36* 8th* Lance Stroll
– Season still in progress. † – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance. ‡ – Half points awarded as less than 75% of the race distance was completed.
Nurturing Talent: Driver Development Programme
Since its return in 2021, Aston Martin has also invested in a driver development program, identifying and nurturing future talent. This ensures a pipeline of skilled drivers for the team and the broader motorsport landscape.
Driver Years Series competed Felipe Drugovich 2022– FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) European Le Mans Series (2024) IMSA SportsCar Championship (2025) Formula E (2024–25) Tina Hausmann 2023– Formula 4 UAE Championship (2024) F1 Academy (2024–2025) Jak Crawford 2024– FIA Formula 2 Championship (2024–2025) Mari Boya 2025– FIA Formula 3 Championship (2025)
In addition to these rising stars, Jessica Hawkins, a former W Series driver, has served as a driver ambassador for Aston Martin since 2021. Hawkins even had the incredible opportunity to test the AMR21 F1 car in 2023, showcasing her talent and the team's commitment to diverse representation.
Article
Aston Martin in Formula One
Aston Martin is a British car manufacturer that has participated in Formula One in various forms and is currently represented by AMR GP Limited, competing as Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. The company first participated in Formula One during the 1959 season, where they debuted the DBR4 chassis using their own engine, but it failed to score any points. They continued to perform poorly through the 1960 season, once again failing to score any points. As a result, Aston Martin decided to leave Formula One after 1960.
A commercial rebranding of the Racing Point F1 Team resulted in the team's return as Aston Martin in (/wiki/2021FormulaOneWorldChampionship), utilising customer Mercedes power units. In (/wiki/2026FormulaOneWorldChampionship), the team began using Honda power units as part of a works partnership with the Japanese manufacturer. The team, owned by Lawrence Stroll, has Fernando Alonso, a 2-time champion from Spain, and Lance Stroll, a 3-time podium finisher from Canada, as their race drivers beginning with the 2023 season. The team is headquartered in Silverstone and has previously raced under various different names, starting with Jordan Grand Prix in (/wiki/1991FormulaOneWorldChampionship).
History
David Brown Corporation (1959–1960)
Aston Martin first entered Formula One with the DBR4, their first open-wheel racing car. The DBR4 was first built and tested in 1957 but did not make its Formula One debut until 1959. This delay was caused by the company prioritising the development of the DBR1 sports car, which went on to win the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. By the DBR4's world championship debut at the Dutch Grand Prix, it had become outdated and struggled for pace against its competitors, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori qualifying 10th and 13th respectively out of 15. Salvadori retired from the race in the early laps with an engine failure, with Shelby's car suffering the same fate later in the race.
The Aston Martin DBR4 which was driven by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby.
The team's next entry came at the British Grand Prix where Salvadori surprised by qualifying in 2nd place. Early in the race, one of Shelby's ignition magnetos failed, harming his car's pace. The second magneto failed late in the race, causing his retirement. Salvadori could only hold on to 6th place, narrowly missing out on a points finish. At the Portuguese Grand Prix, both cars avoided issues to finish 6th and 8th but still failed to score points. Aston Martin's final entry of the season was the Italian Grand Prix where both cars continued to struggle, qualifying only 17th and 19th. During the race, Salvadori had run as high as 7th before suffering an engine failure whilst Shelby came home to finish 10th. The car was significantly outdated by its rivals and failed to score any points.
Aston Martin built the DBR5 to compete in the 1960 season. The DBR5 was based on its predecessor but was lighter and featured an independent suspension. However, the car had a heavy engine in the front and was regularly outclassed by the more commonplace rear-engined cars. The team's first entry of the season came at the Dutch Grand Prix, but the DBR5 was not yet ready to compete. As a result, only Salvadori entered the race, driving the spare DBR4. He could only qualify 18th. Despite being allowed to start the race, Aston Martin were told by the race organisers that they would not be paid. The team, therefore, refused to start the race. The DBR5s were ready for the team's next race in Britain, with Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant taking part. Salvadori retired from the race with steering problems, and Trintignant could only finish 11th, five laps behind the leader.
Following this string of poor results, with the team failing to score a single championship point, Aston Martin abandoned Formula One entirely after the British Grand Prix to focus on sports car racing.
Potential return and sponsorship (2008, 2010, 2016–2020)
In 2006, David Richards, who leads the consortium that owns Aston Martin, and his tech firm Prodrive were granted a spot as a potential entrant for the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Upon speculation of an Aston Martin F1 return, Richards made it clear that Aston Martin had a long way to go until it was ready for an F1 team. He believed the route to being competitive was to partner with an existing team, rather than setting up a new team with Aston Martin and Prodrive. In 2009, Richards again announced his intent to return to Formula One in (/wiki/2010FormulaOneWorldChampionship) with the possibility of using the Aston Martin name, however, this did not come to fruition. Between 2016 and 2020 Aston Martin served as a sponsor for Red Bull Racing, and as title sponsor of the team between 2018 and 2020.
Customer Mercedes power units (2021–2025)
The AMR21 during the 2021 British Grand Prix, driven by Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel driving the AMR22 during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
The AMR25 during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Fernando Alonso
An interactive 3D model of the Aston Martin AMR23 (click on it to interact).
In January 2020, a funding investment from Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll into Aston Martin saw him take a 16.7% stake in the company. This resulted in the commercial rebranding of Racing Point UK's Racing Point F1 Team into Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season. As part of the rebrand, the team switched their racing colour of BWT pink to a modern iteration of Aston Martin's British racing green. Cognizant was also announced as the team's new title sponsor in January 2021. The Aston Martin AMR21 was unveiled in March 2021 and became the first Aston Martin-branded Formula One car after a 61-year absence. The team competes with Mercedes power units, which it has done under its various names since 2009.
Sergio Pérez was under contract to drive for them until 2022, but he was replaced by four-time World Drivers' Champion Sebastian Vettel, who previously drove at Ferrari, for the 2021 championship. He teamed up with Lance Stroll, son of owner Lawrence Stroll to complete the driver lineup. The team had also signed Nico Hülkenberg as their reserve and development driver.
Vettel earned Aston Martin's first podium by finishing second in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Vettel finished second again in the Hungarian Grand Prix, but was disqualified due to a fuel sample issue. In June 2021, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer confirmed that the team will expand its workforce from 535 to 800 employees. In September 2021, Aston Martin confirmed they would compete in 2022 with an unchanged driver lineup. In January 2022, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer left after having spent 12 years with the team. Mike Krack, who had previously worked on BMW and Porsche motorsport teams, was announced as his replacement in the same month. In February 2022, Aramco was announced as the team's joint title sponsor after having secured a long-term partnership deal. In December 2023, Aramco signed a new five-year agreement to become an exclusive title sponsor for the team, while Cognizant would remain as a strategic partner.
Vettel missed the opening two races of 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned on the third race of the season at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. Vettel retired following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Fernando Alonso, a two-time World Champion, is his replacement for 2023 on a multi-year contract. Stoffel Vandoorne joined the team as their new test and reserve driver, a role he shares with Felipe Drugovich. Hülkenberg left Aston Martin, returning as a full-time F1 driver for the Haas F1 Team in 2023.
Construction on a new 37,000 m2 (400,000 sq ft) factory at Aston Martin's Silverstone base began in September 2021. The factory features three interconnected buildings and is based in a 40-acre (16 ha) site directly opposite the Silverstone Circuit. Building One will serve as the main building housing the team's design, manufacturing, and marketing resources. Building Two will redevelop and repurpose the original factory premises as a central hub with staff amenities and will also serve as a logistics centre. Building Two is set to house the team's wellness centre, auditorium, simulator and heritage facility, while Building Three will contain the new wind tunnel. Building One was completed in July 2023 followed by Building Two a year later and Building Three was completed in the first week of November 2024. Commissioning of the wind tunnel was completed by January 2025, and it became operational mid-March before the start of the 2025 season. Aston Martin is the sixth different constructor to operate from the Silverstone base since 1991.
Aston Martin retained Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll as their drivers for (/wiki/2025FormulaOneWorldChampionship). Drugovich departed the team after signing with Andretti Global's Formula E team, where he competes from the 2025–26 season. In January 2025, Andy Cowell replaced Krack as team principal.
Works Honda power units (2026–)
In (/wiki/2026FormulaOneWorldChampionship), Aston Martin will begin a works partnership with Japanese power unit manufacturer Honda, whose F1 programme will be run by its motorsport subsidiary Honda Racing Corporation (HRC). Honda previously powered the two Red Bull-owned teams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, the latter also taking on the Scuderia AlphaTauri and Racing Bulls names. The partnership means that the team will receive full factory support from Honda, including bespoke power units designed specifically for their chassis, and the two partners can work together to integrate the chassis and power unit without unwanted compromises. The works team status is often seen as necessary for a team to become a genuine title contender. By this time, the Silverstone-based team will have used customer Mercedes engines for seventeen seasons from 2009 to 2025. The team previously ran Mugen-Honda engines between 1998 and 2000 and full Honda units in 2001 and 2002, when it was known as Jordan. The team had also previously ran with a Japanese-licensed engine manufacturer when Toyota supplied its customer engines to Jordan in (/wiki/2005FormulaOneWorldChampionship), and in (/wiki/2006FormulaOneWorldChampionship) when the team was rebranded as Midland. In addition, the Silverstone-based team will produce its own transmission gearbox package for the first time. Adrian Newey, who left Red Bull Racing in May 2024, signed a deal with Aston Martin in September 2024 and joined the team the following March, in time for the (/wiki/2026FormulaOneWorldChampionship) regulations. Newey also became a major shareholder of Aston Martin. Enrico Cardile, who was announced as the new Chief Technical Officer in July 2024, commenced work in his new position officially the following August. Going into (/wiki/2026FormulaOneWorldChampionship), Cowell was moved to the role of chief strategy officer, with Newey becoming team principal. Newey stepped down as Team Principal to focus once more on his engineering role, with Jonathan Wheatley from Audi, who left that team in March 2026, being linked to the team as his replacement.
Formula One World Championship results
1959–1960
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Chassis</th><th>Engine</th><th>Tyres</th><th>Driver</th><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th><th>6</th><th>7</th><th>8</th><th>9</th><th>10</th><th>Points</th><th>WCC</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1959</td><td>DBR4</td><td>Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6</td><td>A</td><td></td><td>MON</td><td>500</td><td>NED</td><td>FRA</td><td>GBR</td><td>GER</td><td>POR</td><td>ITA</td><td>USA</td><td></td><td>0</td><td>NC</td></tr><tr><td>Roy Salvadori</td><td></td><td></td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td>6</td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Carroll Shelby</td><td></td><td></td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td>8</td><td>10</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>DBR4</td><td>Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6</td><td>D</td><td></td><td>ARG</td><td>MON</td><td>500</td><td>NED</td><td>BEL</td><td>FRA</td><td>GBR</td><td>POR</td><td>ITA</td><td>USA</td><td>0</td><td>NC</td></tr><tr><td>Roy Salvadori</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>DNS</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DBR5</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Maurice Trintignant</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>11</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Source:</td></tr></tbody></table>
2021–present
• – Season still in progress. • † – Driver did not finish the Grand Prix but was classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance. • ‡ – Half points awarded as less than 75% of the race distance was completed.
Non-championship Formula One results
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Chassis</th><th>Engine</th><th>Driver</th><th>1</th><th>2</th><th>3</th><th>4</th><th>5</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1959</td><td>DBR4</td><td>Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6</td><td></td><td>GLV</td><td>AIN</td><td>INT</td><td>OUL</td><td>SIL</td></tr><tr><td>Roy Salvadori</td><td></td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Carroll Shelby</td><td></td><td></td><td>6</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>DBR4</td><td>Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6</td><td></td><td>GLV</td><td>INT</td><td>SIL</td><td>LOM</td><td>OUL</td></tr><tr><td>Roy Salvadori</td><td></td><td>Ret</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Driver development programme
Current drivers
Since the team's return to Formula One in 2021, several drivers have been affiliated with Aston Martin F1.
<table><thead><tr><th>Driver</th><th>Years</th><th>Current Series</th><th>Titles as AMF1 driver</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Jak Crawford</td><td>2024–</td><td>TBA</td><td>None as AMF1 driver</td></tr><tr><td>Mari Boya</td><td>2025–</td><td>FIA Formula 2 Championship</td><td>None as AMF1 driver</td></tr><tr><td>Mathilda Paatz</td><td>2026–</td><td>F1 Academy</td><td>None as AMF1 driver</td></tr></tbody></table>
Former drivers
<table><thead><tr><th>Driver</th><th>Years</th><th>Series competed</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Felipe Drugovich</td><td>2022–2025</td><td>FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) European Le Mans Series (2024) IMSA SportsCar Championship (2025) Formula E (2024–25)</td></tr><tr><td>Tina Hausmann</td><td>2024–2025</td><td>Formula 4 UAE Championship (2024) F1 Academy (2024–2025)</td></tr></tbody></table>
Additionally, former W Series driver Jessica Hawkins has served as a driver ambassador for the team since 2021. Hawkins drove the AMR21 during a test session in 2023.