Aston Martin has announced that it will become a title sponsor of the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team for the 2018 season, and provisionally for the 2019 season as well. This extends the reach of partnership between the two entities, its most prominent outcome so far being the Valkyrie hypercar previously known as the AM-RB001. You saw this coming too, didn’t you.
In addition to the title sponsorship possibly result in one of the longest team names in the sport - Aston Martin Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer, we should see their original relationship as “innovation partner” - originally used to facilitate the design and development of the Valkyrie - to grow as well. The British automaker has expressed interest in becoming an engine supplier to the team, replacing the Renault power units they use for the 2017 season.
Aston Martin President and CEO, Andy Palmer, said: “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. The power unit discussions 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.”
Of course, jumping from technical and design collaborator to title sponsor is a relatively minor leap compared to challenge in becoming F1 engine supplier, and one successful enough to be competitive against Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, and Renault. Honda’s own attempt was mired in issues and has been the single largest factor in the decline in prominence of the McLaren team.
And remember, Honda has a strong track record of producing engines for some of the world’s most successful F1 racing cars. By comparison, Aston Martin lacks many of the base ingredients needed to be rapidly advanced enough to compete with the more experienced suppliers, particularly with regard to how the energy recovery and hybrid power supplement the 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 motor.
Aston Martin has also taken a step back in manufacturing their own engines, ironically tapping Mercedes-AMG to source their 4.0-litre M178 bi-turbo V8 to use in their DB11 and Vantage sports cars, leaving the naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12 their only real remainder for volume production. However, as Palmer said, the company will only explore such avenues if the circumstances permit. They’re not in a rush, but they’re open to the possibility.
Red Bull Racing and Aston Martin have are also due to open a new Advanced Performance Centre which will house at least 110 design and engineering personnel from both sides to exchange technologies between the world of motorsport for use in future road cars and vice versa.
Christian Horner, Team Principal of Red Bull Racing said: “Our Innovation Partnership with Aston Martin has been a pioneering project from day one. Having conceived and created the remarkably successful 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. In addition, more than 100 Aston Martin staff will service the new Advanced Performance Centre on our campus here in Milton Keynes and it will allow us to collaborate further with Aston Martin on special, equally innovative, new projects.”
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