[morini]

Great news for Racing Point. They've had a torrid time in recent years, but even so they've managed to bring home some great results. Having said that, now their engine advantage has gone they look to be slipping to the back of the grid.

The Lance Stroll factor!

Seriously though, Force India always punched above their budget, it will be intersting to see if they can build a competetive car with a serious budget. Probably need to wait until the new regs to find out.

[Jody Barton]

Yes... well... quite Morini. Seeing Stroll done up like a kipper by Russell in the Williams in Bahrain was proof of that. He was on fresher tyres as well. True, Russell eventually slipped back after pit stops etc. but there is no way Stroll should be passed by a Williams.

[Monster Hesh]

Force India havent traditionally gone well at the first few races. Well, they are usually right in the middle 10th-ish. China maybe the same, but come Baku, they'll enjoy higher results. Perhaps they have lost the engine advantage, but they are still consistently up the sharp end of top speeds.

[PapaofGags]

Racing Pointowner Lawrence Stroll is reported to be interested in buying a major stake in Aston Martin,billionaire-poised-launch-bid-major-aston-martin-stake according to Autocar and RaceFans.net.

Stroll, who has an estimated worth of over £2 billion through investments and fashion brands, initially came to the rescue for the team formerly known as Force India in August 2018.

The Canadian billionaire was at the forefront of a consortium that bought the team which had been forced into administration.

Autocar and RaceFans.net are now reporting that Stroll is ready to make more business moves, heading up another consortium in order to buy a major stake in Aston Martin, taking advantage of its drop in share price.

[PapaofGags]

Racing Point to become Aston Martin team from F1 2021 (SKY Sports F1)

Lawrence Stroll buys into British car firm and his F1 team will now be renamed from 2021; Red Bull's Aston Martin deal to end after 2020

Racing Point will be renamed as Aston Martin from the 2021 Formula 1 season.

Following weeks of speculation that Lawrence Stroll, Racing Point's billionaire owner, was poised to buy into the British carmaker, it was confirmed on Friday a consortium led by the Canadian would pay £182m for an initial 16.7 per cent stake in Aston Martin.

As a result, Aston Martin will become the new name of Stroll's Silverstone-based F1 team from the season after next, giving the team works status.

The initial agreement is for a 10-year term, with additional sponsorship arrangements attached.

[morini]

Racing Point to become Aston Martin team from F1 2021 (SKY Sports F1)

As a result, Aston Martin will become the new name of Stroll's Silverstone-based F1 team from the season after next, giving the team works status.

The initial agreement is for a 10-year term, with additional sponsorship arrangements attached.

Couple of things strike me here :

1. Autocar look like a bunch of complete (_*_) holes now. What were they saying about Stroll / Wolff and Aston Martin taking over the works Mercedes team? Dickheads, shooting their mouths off with no real facts.

2. How does this translate to "works status"? Are Aston Martin going to supply Hybrid power units?

[NeilP]

Even more interesting what does this mean for the Red Bull - Aston Martin connection?

[Antilochos]

Even more interesting what does this mean for the Red Bull - Aston Martin connection?

I believe I read somewere that the partnership would end anyway in 20 or 21, but I am not sure.
But I do feel strongly Red Bull and Aston Martin should've split up in 19, when Honda became the partner. Even further, I think it was a bit silly from the start that Aston Martin put their name on a team without even supply a engine, let alone anything else.

Good for all parties if you ask me. Red Bull and Honda, hope it will be a long and succesful combo. Racing Point getting a decent name and now a more serious approuch. Astin Martin with their own team and Mercedes engine... Christ, Aston Martin used to make such iconic cars, now they seem only just hanging on.

[Jody Barton]

Well I guess this is good news for F1 as a global brand is concerned, and Aston Martin certainly sounds better than Racing Point or whatever they're called. I am also hoping this means a return to the grid for British Racing Green. Also Mercedes decision to supply McLaren power units from 2021 makes more sense, seems to me that Aston Martin Racing will probably be having a different engine supplier, maybe even Renault. I can't see Aston Martin supplying their own F1 engines, they don't even supply their own engines for their road cars, that's still Mercedes at the moment, although they are supposedly looking for new engines. Who knows, maybe the rumour of them going to Porsche engines is true.

[PapaofGags]

British Racing Green.

Who knows, maybe the rumour of them going to Porsche engines is true.

Hi Jody 

Really hope to see "British Racing Green" 

Who wouldn't like Porche return, been a while as an engine supplier 83-87 as McLaren badged Tag's, also 91 as supplier for footwork. (disaster) 

Gags tells me they were last in as a team 61-2 so its about time! 

Not long to wait now only 5 weeks to go.