Szafnauer: “Vettel will extract the best from Stroll”

He is not the jaded pilot of Ferrari who arrives at aston martin, but the four-time world champion. Sebastian Vettel brings great hopes to the former Racing Point, which last year took fourth place in the constructors' championship.

“It’s extremely exciting for everyone on the team,” Szafnauer said. “Sebastian has a proven track record of helping teams become winning, championship-contending teams. This is why he is such an important transfer for us. He brings a winning mentality and we will all undoubtedly learn a lot from him on this journey. »

Vettel will have a leadership role on the track but also off it. He must wear Lance stroll, the son of owner Lawrence Stroll, to the heights.

“With Lance, we have a talented, hard-working young driver who had his best campaign to date last year and has really made strides in all areas of his racing,” Szafnauer added.

“We know that if we give him the tools, he is more than capable of helping the team achieve its goals. We also think Sebastian will bring out the best in Lance, with Lance pushing Sebastian hard in return. It's the ideal blend of experience, winning know-how and raw talent. »

Thanks to his car, a true copy of the Mercedes of 2019, Racing Point was able to secure a victory via Sergio Perez and three podiums in 2020. As a result, the team settled among the fighters for 3rd place who are McLaren, Renault or Ferrari.

Aston Martin must allow the team to reach a new milestone. “Whereas the challenge once was to establish themselves as the most efficient team on the grid relative to their means, there is now an exciting opportunity to establish themselves as a top team, while maintaining that efficiency, to add an exciting chapter to the Aston Martin legacy,” concludes Szafnauer.

The car, which will likely wear Aston Martin's traditional livery, will be presented in March ahead of pre-season testing.