Breaking news

Formula 1

Aston Martin: Vettel can help bring out the best in Stroll

Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer says four-time Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel will “bring out the best” in his teammate Lance Stroll.

Adam Cooper

Adam Cooper

Edited: Jan 13, 2021, 3:26 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Lance Stroll, Racing Point RP20, leads Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF1000

Vettel joins the former Racing Point outfit this year after his Ferrari contract was not extended beyond 2020.

The German had a tough time against Charles Leclerc, his partner at Maranello, over the last two seasons.

However the Aston Martin management believes that Vettel will thrive in his new environment, with technical director Andrew Green suggesting in October that the team can help him "rediscover his mojo."

Szafnauer anticipates that Vettel and Stroll will motivate each other.

“It’s hugely exciting for everyone in the team,” Szafnauer said of the line-up.

“In Sebastian, we have a proven four-time world champion with experience of helping teams become race-winning and championship-contending outfits.

“That’s why he is such an important signing for us. He brings a winning mentality and we will all undoubtedly learn a lot from him on this journey.

“In Lance, we have a young and talented, hard-working driver who enjoyed his best campaign to date last year and really made strides in all areas of his racing.

"We know if we give him the tools, he’s more than capable of helping the team reach its goals.

“We also think Sebastian will bring out the best in Lance, with Lance pushing Sebastian hard in return, so we’re delighted with our 2021 line-up. It’s the ideal blend of experience, race-winning knowhow, and raw talent.”

Prime:

Szafnauer conceded that managing the transition from Racing Point to Aston Martin, while not diluting the outfit’s proven ability to do a lot with limited resources, has not been an easy process for the team.

“It has been a mammoth task,” he said. “It’s easy to forget that we’ve been putting the groundwork in place for a brand-new era alongside a very challenging global setting, all the while balancing those tasks with our most successful F1 season to date – including a race win and multiple podium finishes en route to fourth place in the constructors’ championship.

“Everybody involved should be extremely proud of that achievement and I think it demonstrates that while this is a new team name and identity, we have retained the strong backbone that has guided us through some tough times to where we are today.

“While the challenge was once establishing ourselves as the most efficient team on the grid, now there’s an exciting opportunity to establish ourselves as a top team, while still maintaining that efficiency, in order to add an exciting chapter to the Aston Martin legacy.”

Szafnauer also suggested that Aston can target race wins in 2021: “With a new name, committed shareholders, fresh investment, and an experienced team, we believe we have all the ingredients in place to compete for even more podiums and hopefully victories too.

“It’s the start of a new journey and I can sense an extra energy in the team, with a determination to push performance further than ever before.

“Combined with some of the most creative minds in the business, a true racers’ mentality and the can-do spirit that has served us so well through the years, we have every reason to be excited about the future.”

Read Also:

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Russell banishing thoughts of 2022 Mercedes F1 chance

Next article Haas F1 feels ‘honour and pressure’ bringing back Schumacher name

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Adam Cooper



RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024

Formula 1

Formula 1

Japanese GP

RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024



Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team



Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

Formula 1

Formula 1

Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility

More from

Racing Point



Stroll: 2020 results answered own questions over F1 capability

Formula 1

Formula 1

Stroll: 2020 results answered own questions over F1 capability



Aston Martin set for February F1 livery and car launch

Formula 1

Formula 1

Aston Martin set for February F1 livery and car launch



Racing Point didn't have enough spares after Bahrain clashes

Formula 1

Formula 1

Racing Point didn't have enough spares after Bahrain clashes

Latest news



Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

1 h

Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell



Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

4 h

Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction



William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

4 h

William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix



Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring

IndyCar

Indy IndyCar 5 h

Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring

Feature

Discover prime content



Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade



'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Stuart Codling

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown



What we learned from the 2026 F1 Singapore GP sprint and qualifying

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What we learned from the 2026 F1 Singapore GP sprint and qualifying



How Honda plans a return to being an F1 powerhouse

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

How Honda plans a return to being an F1 powerhouse

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe