The past few years of Formula 1; in terms of rules, ownership, performance and legacy have played out like a bad Hollywood drama. Most would have voted the plot tedious and implausible. However, as we tip into 2021 the final scene of this chaotic mess has seen the return of one of the world’s truly great sports car manufacturers in Aston Martin. With much of the public questioning the divide between what people see on their roads and the technology and names associated with motorsports’ blue riband class seemingly at such odds, this has to be a good thing. That such a name is set to return, can only aid in the resurgence of popularity that we hope to see in the competition.
The circumstance of arrival has been as twisty as any story in Formula 1. With a dark cloud hanging over the former Force India team, Lawrence Stroll came forth to take the former team out of administration. After applying the new moniker of Racing Point, only narrowly missed out on being ‘best of the rest’, at the final round in Abu Dhabi last season. A series of stellar performances from the now-departed Sergio Perez brought into stark focus the progress that they have made since the change in ownership. A new pairing: the retention of Stroll’s son, Lance, and the marquee signing of Sebastian Vettel, add to the drama and intrigue as we are on the cusp of the 2021 Bahrain opener. They carry over the already successful partnership in the brand’s road-going division with the use of Mercedes-AMG power. The team looked well placed to push on from the strong performance that was increasingly becoming expected through the latter part of last season.
With American Tech giant Cognizant lending sponsorship and title; the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 Team (to give them their full title) provide another fascinating backdrop to a season that, due to current world conditions, will be unlike any other we have seen previously. Hopefully, one we won’t have the need to see again. Whether the grid of challengers will be able to break Hamilton and Mercedes dominance, only time will tell. One thing is for sure, that simply hearing the name, Aston Martin, in commentary; one can’t help but think Formula 1 could be heading back to its former glory.
