Red Bull Racing has announced its new collaboration with British automaker Aston Martin and will race as 'Aston Martin Red Bull Racing' from the 2018 Formula 1 season. Both firms have agreed to a new title and innovation partnership in motorsport that will see a performance centre being established at the Red Bull campus and will be responsible for future sports cars that will come out of either companies, the statement said. With both companies already working together on the highly innovative Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, the collaboration brings the carmaker one step closer to being full time in F1.
The new Advanced Performance Centre willl be established later this year at Red Bull's Racing campus in Milton Keynes, and will enable a closer working relationship between both companies. The centre will house Aston Martin's design and engineering personnel responsible for new projects and is expected to create up to 110 new jobs.
(Aston Martin said it was open join F1 as an engine manufacturer, should conditions be right)
Aston Martin President and CEO, Andy Palmer said, "The title partnership is the next logical step for our innovation partnership with Red Bull Racing." With reports about the manufacturer supplying engines in F1 in the future, Palmer said that Aston Martin could further get involved in F1, should the conditions be right.
Adding further, he said, "We are enjoying the global brand awareness that a revitalised Formula One provides. The power unit discussions (in Formula One) are of interest to us, but only if the circumstances are right. We are not about to enter an engine war with no restrictions in cost or dynamometer hours but we believe that if the FIA can create the right environment we would be interested in getting involved."
(Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen will drive the Aston Martin titled Red Bull car next year)
Speaking about the partnership, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said, "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 now delighted to further strengthen the partnership and see the team competing as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing in 2018.
Aston Martin and Red Bull entered into a partnership in 2016 after both companies decided to produce the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar that was showcased earlier this year. The car is all set to make its first run next year, while deliveries to customers will commence the following year. This explains why Aston Martin wants to be dominant over the F1 next season, and hence has chose to go for the most prominent branding exercise.
