Aston Martin will fashion a return to Formula One, with the highly-rated automobile manufacturers announcing as much this week. The Aston Martin Formula 1 team will be dropping Racing Point’s pink livery in favor of green colors following a deal with a new sponsor. Having changed names to Aston Martin F1 at the start of the year, the team will cease from racing in the colors associated with Force India and Racing Point, as well as former main backer BWT. Aston Martin F1 will switch to a British racing green which will be fully unveiled next month, following the signing of a multi-year deal with American IT consulting firm Cognizant Technology Solutions. Talk of a possible deal between said parties sparked during the 2020 Abu Dhabi GP weekend, in the wake of Cognizant ending negotiations with other potential partners in the F1 space.
“The return of Aston Martin to F1 after more than 60 years away is a landmark moment in the history of the sport,” team owner Lawrence Stroll declared.
“Everyone knows what Aston Martin stands for, but the F1 team will allow us to take the essence of the brand to new places, building on the strong foundations laid by the previous iterations of the team.”
Team principal Otmar Szafnauer has also indicated that the particulars of the deal aren’t restricted to naming rights as Cognizant is expected to usher improvements on a technological front, given their expertise in the field.
“Innovation and technology are central pillars for any F1 team and this long-term partnership is more than just a branding exercise,” Szafnauer pointed out.
“With a new factory already under construction, Cognizant’s expertise and resources will add value in all areas of our IT operations and make a valuable contribution to our performance on track.”
Cognizant CEO Brian Humphries noted the similarities between the merging brands.
“Our global brands have much in common,” he stated. “We are both innovative, forward looking firms that like to move fast, stay focused, and lead from the front.
“We understand the incredible power of today’s advanced technologies and how to harness them to engineer unique customer experiences.
“We’re excited by the promise of this deep and mutually beneficial partnership.”
Although BWT will not be the team’s title sponsor, a complete severing of ties will not necessarily be what obtains as the parties have refused to rule out another type of partnership moving forward.
This latest partnership is a pretty big deal, especially when Cognizant’s spot at 194 in the latest Fortune 500 Table is taken into consideration, and will play a huge part where the team’s global promotion strategy is concerned. They have already received a boost by getting four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel under their employ. This year promises to be an exciting one for the newly rebranded Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One. As it pertains to racing predictions for next season, those will be available from the most popular online betting sites.
Vettel, who will be driving alongside Lance Stroll, claimed to be excited to begin work with his new team.
“I can’t wait to start working with Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team,” he said. “There’s so much for me to discover over the next few months and I’m incredibly determined to help make this team even more successful. Before we know it, we will be at the first race, seeing this famous name back where it belongs. I’m proud to be part of this journey.”
“Seeing Aston Martin back in Formula One is a huge deal – especially with a new title partner, Cognizant,” Stroll added. “Whenever I’m at the factory, you can feel the buzz and energy. We’re ready for this. There’s so much hunger in the team and I just can’t wait to get the season started.”
Meanwhile, the team owner has branded the deal a Lawrence-star achievement. Lawrence, Lance’s father, has made some pretty impressive appointments in recent times. Apart from the Vettel coup, the Canadian has brought in a new communications manager in Matt Bishop, who spent 10 years in charge of McLaren’s media department.
The team garnered some neat results last year with its RP20, the only car, save Red Bull’s RB16, to beat the champions to both a pole position and a win. The RP20, which is modeled similarly to the Mercedes that took top prize the previous year, was the first car developed fully under Stroll’s stewardship.
The ambitious owner reckons the Cognizant deal will speed up the development of the car’s successor, which will bear the iconic Aston martin markings.