Formula One: Aston Martin joins Red Bull Racing for 2018
By Mark Gero
Red Bull Racing announced Monday that the Austrian team will select British car company Aston Martin as their title sponsor for 2018.
As the Red Bull Racing team already had an innovation partnership with British car manufacturer Aston Martin last season, it was announced on Monday that both units will be combined next Formula one season to form as one full-fledged partnership team: Aston Martin Red Bull.
The deal will include something that the Austrian team certainly needs to catch up with both Ferrari and Mercedes, and this is the building of an advanced performance center at the team’s Milton Keynes factory in England. Both teams will create 100 new jobs in the process and hope to combine both F1 and road technology together.
Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told ESPN F1 that the team would only build engines for Red Bull if the technology and costs are kept under control with the new engine rules that will come out in 2020.
"“Title partnership is the next logical step for our innovation partnership with Red Bull Racing. We are enjoying the global brand awareness that a revitalized formula one provides.”"
More from Formula One
- Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
- Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
- Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
- Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
- Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points
A few years ago, Red Bull had a partnership with the Infiniti motor car company, that at the time only had Renault Sport as an engine manufacturer. However, with the demise of the engine’s strength when the hybrids came out in 2014 and the Japanese company moving along with its French owner last year, Red Bull found itself with no title sponsor. This now has changed with the inclusion of Aston Martin. This is a relief to Red Bull manager Christian Horner, who was looking for another title sponsor following Renault’s decision to no longer sponsor them after 2018.
"“Our innovation partnership with Aston Martin has been a pioneering project from day one. Having conceived and created the remarkably successful Aston Martin Valkyrie together in 2016, we extended our relationship this year and are delighted to further strengthen the partnership and see the team competing as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing in 2018.”"
Next: Formula One: The Sainz/McLaren/Toro Rosso/Renault deal
It will be interesting to see if Aston Martin will go ahead to build a racing engine, but the decision will take three seasons to decide. Meanwhile, there is still Honda to consider if the Toro Rosso deal works out in 2018. Then, depending on the results of their junior team, Red Bull should make their final decision.