Racing Point Formula 1 team owner Lawrence Stroll says that the planned change to the Aston Martin identity in 2021 will bring “pressure and expectation”.
Stroll’s involvement in Aston Martin was first announced in January, but the formalities of his investment were only completed this week.
The renaming of Racing Point is at the heart of his future marketing strategy that he has laid out for the British sportscar manufacturer, and Stroll sees it an opportunity for the Silverstone team to take a step forward.
“The group of men and women at Silverstone are true racers and their determination and spirit is one of the main reasons I invested in the Formula 1 team,” he said.
“After 30 years, they deserve this opportunity to represent this legendary brand.
“We are continuing to invest in the team to give everybody the resources required, and we will see the benefit of those efforts this year as Racing Point.
“With the Aston name comes more pressure and expectation.
“We will need to be competitive from the outset.
“But I have no doubt the team at Silverstone will rise to the challenge and do the Aston Martin name proud.”
He added: “A brand with the pedigree and history of Aston Martin needs to be competing at the highest level of motorsport.
“I think it’s the most exciting thing that’s happened in recent memory in F1 and it’s incredibly exciting for all stakeholders in the sport, especially the fans.
“I can’t think of a better name for an F1 team.
“The global spotlight of F1 is second to none, and we will leverage this reach to showcase the Aston Martin brand in our key markets.”
Stroll said that the team has had to adjust to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I don’t think there is any area of life or business that hasn’t been touched by this devastating pandemic and the racing community is certainly adapting as best it can.
“Of course, as racers, we are all very frustrated not to be competing, but we all understand the bigger picture in this global fight and so we stay at home.
“The team is also supporting Project Pitlane to help accelerate the production of ventilators.
“In the meantime, we can rely on video conferences to keep our plans for 2020 and 2021 moving forward.
“I am committed to F1 with a long-term vision and this is just a temporary pause in the journey.”