Aston Martin in Formula One

Aston Martin first entered Formula One with the DBR4, their first open-wheel racing car. The DBR4 was first built and tested in 1957 but did not make its Formula One debut until 1959. This delay was caused by the company prioritising the development of the DBR1 sports car, which went on to win the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. By the DBR4's world championship debut at the Dutch Grand Prix, it had become outdated and struggled for pace against its competitors, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori qualifying 10th and 13th respectively out of 15. Salvadori retired from the race in the early laps with an engine failure, with Shelby's car suffering the same fate later in the race.

The Aston Martin DBR4 which was driven by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby.
The team's next entry came at the British Grand Prix where Salvadori surprised by qualifying in 2nd place. Early in the race, one of Shelby's ignition magnetos failed, harming his car's pace. The second magneto failed late in the race, causing his retirement. Salvadori could only hold on to 6th place, narrowly missing out on a points finish. At the Portuguese Grand Prix, both cars avoided issues to finish 6th and 8th but still failed to score points. Aston Martin's final entry of the season was the Italian Grand Prix where both cars continued to struggle, qualifying only 17th and 19th. During the race, Salvadori had run as high as 7th before suffering an engine failure whilst Shelby came home to finish 10th. The car was significantly outdated by its rivals and failed to score any points.

Aston Martin built the DBR5 to compete in the 1960 season. The DBR5 was based on its predecessor but was lighter and featured an independent suspension. However, the car had a heavy engine in the front and was regularly outclassed by the more commonplace rear-engined cars. The team's first entry of the season came at the Dutch Grand Prix, but the DBR5 was not yet ready to compete. As a result, only Salvadori entered the race, driving the spare DBR4. He could only qualify 18th. Despite being allowed to start the race, Aston Martin were told by the race organisers that they would not be paid. The team, therefore, refused to start the race. The DBR5s were ready for the team's next race in Britain, with Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant taking part. Salvadori retired from the race with steering problems, and Trintignant could only finish 11th, five laps behind the leader.

Following this string of poor results, with the team failing to score a single championship point, Aston Martin abandoned Formula One entirely after the British Grand Prix to focus on sports car racing.

In 2006, David Richards, who leads the consortium that owns Aston Martin, and his tech firm Prodrive were granted a spot as a potential entrant for the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Upon speculation of an Aston Martin F1 return, Richards made it clear that Aston Martin had a long way to go until it was ready for an F1 team. He believed the route to being competitive was to partner with an existing team, rather than setting up a new team with Aston Martin and Prodrive. In 2009, Richards again announced his intent to return to Formula One in 2010 with the possibility of using the Aston Martin name, however, this did not come to fruition. Between 2016 and 2020 Aston Martin served as a sponsor for Red Bull Racing, and as title sponsor of the team between 2018 and 2020.

The AMR21 during the 2021 British Grand Prix, driven by Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel driving the AMR22 during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
The AMR25 during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Fernando Alonso
An interactive 3D model of the Aston Martin AMR23 (click on it to interact).
In January 2020, a funding investment from Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll into Aston Martin saw him take a 16.7% stake in the company. This resulted in the commercial rebranding of Racing Point UK's Racing Point F1 Team into Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season. As par

Aston Martin first entered Formula One with the DBR4, their first open-wheel racing car. The DBR4 was first built and tested in 1957 but did not make its Formula One debut until 1959. This delay was caused by the company prioritising the development of the DBR1 sports car, which went on to win the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. By the DBR4's world championship debut at the Dutch Grand Prix, it had become outdated and struggled for pace against its competitors, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori qualifying 10th and 13th respectively out of 15. Salvadori retired from the race in the early laps with an engine failure, with Shelby's car suffering the same fate later in the race.

The Aston Martin DBR4 which was driven by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby.
The team's next entry came at the British Grand Prix where Salvadori surprised by qualifying in 2nd place. Early in the race, one of Shelby's ignition magnetos failed, harming his car's pace. The second magneto failed late in the race, causing his retirement. Salvadori could only hold on to 6th place, narrowly missing out on a points finish. At the Portuguese Grand Prix, both cars avoided issues to finish 6th and 8th but still failed to score points. Aston Martin's final entry of the season was the Italian Grand Prix where both cars continued to struggle, qualifying only 17th and 19th. During the race, Salvadori had run as high as 7th before suffering an engine failure whilst Shelby came home to finish 10th. The car was significantly outdated by its rivals and failed to score any points.

Aston Martin built the DBR5 to compete in the 1960 season. The DBR5 was based on its predecessor but was lighter and featured an independent suspension. However, the car had a heavy engine in the front and was regularly outclassed by the more commonplace rear-engined cars. The team's first entry of the season came at the Dutch Grand Prix, but the DBR5 was not yet ready to compete. As a result, only Salvadori entered the race, driving the spare DBR4. He could only qualify 18th. Despite being allowed to start the race, Aston Martin were told by the race organisers that they would not be paid. The team, therefore, refused to start the race. The DBR5s were ready for the team's next race in Britain, with Salvadori and Maurice Trintignant taking part. Salvadori retired from the race with steering problems, and Trintignant could only finish 11th, five laps behind the leader.

Following this string of poor results, with the team failing to score a single championship point, Aston Martin abandoned Formula One entirely after the British Grand Prix to focus on sports car racing.

^ "Aston Martin DBR4". ultimatecarpage.com. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ "1959 Dutch Grand Prix". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Denis Jenkinson (7 July 2014). "1959 Dutch Grand Prix race report: Bonnier makes his mark". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ "British GP, 1959". grandprix.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Denis Jenkinson (7 July 2014). "1959 British Grand Prix race report - A walk-over for British cars". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Denis Jenkinson (7 July 2014). "1959 Portuguese Grand Prix race report: Moss trounces the field". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ "1959 Italian Grand Prix". motorsportmagazine. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Denis Jenkinson (7 July 2014). "1959 Italian Grand Prix race report: Walker's cunning bests the reds". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Hamilton, Maurice (30 September 2017). "A brief history of Aston Martin and F1". ESPN. Retrieved 3 April 2020.

^ "1960 Dutch Grand Prix". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ Denis Jenkinson (7 July 2014). "1960 Dutch Grand Prix race report: Brabham throws kitchen sink (and more) at Moss to win". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ "1960 British Grand Prix". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

^ "Aston

In 2006, David Richards, who leads the consortium that owns Aston Martin, and his tech firm Prodrive were granted a spot as a potential entrant for the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Upon speculation of an Aston Martin F1 return, Richards made it clear that Aston Martin had a long way to go until it was ready for an F1 team. He believed the route to being competitive was to partner with an existing team, rather than setting up a new team with Aston Martin and Prodrive. In 2009, Richards again announced his intent to return to Formula One in 2010 with the possibility of using the Aston Martin name, however, this did not come to fruition. Between 2016 and 2020 Aston Martin served as a sponsor for Red Bull Racing, and as title sponsor of the team between 2018 and 2020.

^ "Q & A With FIA President Max Mosley". 22 June 2007. Archived from the original on 22 June 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

^ "Aston Martin owner rules out F1". 13 March 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

^ "Richards keen on Formula 1 return". 23 April 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

^ "Red Bull announce Aston Martin tie-up". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

^ "Aston Martin to become Red Bull title sponsor in 2018". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 3 February 2021.

The AMR21 during the 2021 British Grand Prix, driven by Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel driving the AMR22 during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
The AMR25 during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Fernando Alonso
An interactive 3D model of the Aston Martin AMR23 (click on it to interact).
In January 2020, a funding investment from Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll into Aston Martin saw him take a 16.7% stake in the company. This resulted in the commercial rebranding of Racing Point UK's Racing Point F1 Team into Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season. As part of the rebrand, the team switched their racing colour of BWT pink to a modern iteration of Aston Martin's British racing green. Cognizant was also announced as the team's new title sponsor in January 2021. The Aston Martin AMR21 was unveiled in March 2021 and became the first Aston Martin-branded Formula One car after a 61-year absence. The team competes with Mercedes power units, which it has done under its various names since 2009.

Sergio Pérez was under contract to drive for them until 2022, but he was replaced by four-time World Drivers' Champion Sebastian Vettel, who previously drove at Ferrari, for the 2021 championship. He teamed up with Lance Stroll, son of owner Lawrence Stroll to complete the driver lineup. The team had also signed Nico Hülkenberg as their reserve and development driver.

Vettel earned Aston Martin's first podium by finishing second in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Vettel finished second again in the Hungarian Grand Prix, but was disqualified due to a fuel sample issue. In June 2021, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer confirmed that the team will expand its workforce from 535 to 800 employees.

Also in June, they announced a partnership with the organisation Racing Pride, an NGO (non-governmental organization) dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ inclusivity throughout the motorsport world. During the 2021 French Grand Prix, their logo was displayed on both cars. In September 2021, Aston Martin confirmed they would compete in 2022 with an unchanged driver lineup. In January 2022, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer left after having spent 12 years with the team. Mike Krack, who had previously worked on BMW and Porsche motorsport teams, was announced as his replacement in the same month. In February 2022, Aramco was announced as the team's joint title sponsor after having secured a long-term partnership deal. In December 2023, Aramco signed a new five-year agreement to become an exclusive title sponsor for the team, while Cognizant would remain as a strategic partner.

Vettel missed the opening two races of 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned on the third race of the season at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. Vettel retired following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Fernando Alonso, a two-time World Champion, is his replacement for 2023 on a multi-year contract. Stoffel Vandoorne joined the team as their new test and reserve driver, a role he shares with Felipe Drugovich. Hülkenberg left Aston Martin, returning as a full-time F1 driver for the Haas F1 Team in 2023.

Construction on a new 37,000 m (400,000 sq ft) factory at Aston Martin's Silverstone base began in September 2021. The factory features three interconnected buildings and is based in a 40-acre (16 ha) site directly opposite the Silverstone Circuit. Building One will serve as the main building housing the team's design, manufacturing, and marketing resources. Building Two will redevelop and repurpose the original factory premises as a central hub with staff amenities and will also serve as a logistics centre. Building Two is set to house the team's wellness centre, auditorium, simulator and heritage facility, while Building Three will contain the new wind tunnel. Building One was completed in July 2023 followed by Building Two a year later and Building Three was completed in the first week of November 2024. Commissioning of the wind tunnel was completed by January 2025, and it

The AMR21 during the 2021 British Grand Prix, driven by Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel driving the AMR22 during the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
The AMR25 during the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, driven by Fernando Alonso
An interactive 3D model of the Aston Martin AMR23 (click on it to interact).
In January 2020, a funding investment from Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll into Aston Martin saw him take a 16.7% stake in the company. This resulted in the commercial rebranding of Racing Point UK's Racing Point F1 Team into Aston Martin F1 Team for the 2021 season. As part of the rebrand, the team switched their racing colour of BWT pink to a modern iteration of Aston Martin's British racing green. Cognizant was also announced as the team's new title sponsor in January 2021. The Aston Martin AMR21 was unveiled in March 2021 and became the first Aston Martin-branded Formula One car after a 61-year absence. The team competes with Mercedes power units, which it has done under its various names since 2009.

Sergio Pérez was under contract to drive for them until 2022, but he was replaced by four-time World Drivers' Champion Sebastian Vettel, who previously drove at Ferrari, for the 2021 championship. He teamed up with Lance Stroll, son of owner Lawrence Stroll to complete the driver lineup. The team had also signed Nico Hülkenberg as their reserve and development driver.

Vettel earned Aston Martin's first podium by finishing second in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Vettel finished second again in the Hungarian Grand Prix, but was disqualified due to a fuel sample issue. In June 2021, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer confirmed that the team will expand its workforce from 535 to 800 employees.

Also in June, they announced a partnership with the organisation Racing Pride, an NGO (non-governmental organization) dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ inclusivity throughout the motorsport world. During the 2021 French Grand Prix, their logo was displayed on both cars. In September 2021, Aston Martin confirmed they would compete in 2022 with an unchanged driver lineup. In January 2022, Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer left after having spent 12 years with the team. Mike Krack, who had previously worked on BMW and Porsche motorsport teams, was announced as his replacement in the same month. In February 2022, Aramco was announced as the team's joint title sponsor after having secured a long-term partnership deal. In December 2023, Aramco signed a new five-year agreement to become an exclusive title sponsor for the team, while Cognizant would remain as a strategic partner.

Vettel missed the opening two races of 2022 after testing positive for COVID-19. He returned on the third race of the season at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix. Vettel retired following the conclusion of the 2022 season. Fernando Alonso, a two-time World Champion, is his replacement for 2023 on a multi-year contract. Stoffel Vandoorne joined the team as their new test and reserve driver, a role he shares with Felipe Drugovich. Hülkenberg left Aston Martin, returning as a full-time F1 driver for the Haas F1 Team in 2023.

Construction on a new 37,000 m (400,000 sq ft) factory at Aston Martin's Silverstone base began in September 2021. The factory features three interconnected buildings and is based in a 40-acre (16 ha) site directly opposite the Silverstone Circuit. Building One will serve as the main building housing the team's design, manufacturing, and marketing resources. Building Two will redevelop and repurpose the original factory premises as a central hub with staff amenities and will also serve as a logistics centre. Building Two is set to house the team's wellness centre, auditorium, simulator and heritage facility, while Building Three will contain the new wind tunnel. Building One was completed in July 2023 followed by Building Two a year later and Building Three was completed in the first week of November 2024. Commissioning of the wind tunnel was completed by January 2025, and it

In 2026, Aston Martin began a works partnership with Japanese power unit manufacturer Honda, whose F1 programme was run by its motorsport subsidiary Honda Racing Corporation (HRC). Honda previously powered the two Red Bull-owned teams, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso, the latter also taking on the Scuderia AlphaTauri and Racing Bulls names. The partnership meant that the team received full factory support from Honda, including bespoke power units designed specifically for their chassis, and the two partners could work together to integrate the chassis and power unit without unwanted compromises. The works team status is often seen as necessary for a team to become a genuine title contender. The Silverstone-based team used customer Mercedes engines for seventeen seasons from 2009 to 2025. The team previously ran Mugen-Honda engines between 1998 and 2000 and full Honda units in 2001 and 2002, when it was known as Jordan. The team had also previously ran with a Japanese-licensed engine manufacturer when Toyota supplied its customer engines to Jordan in 2005, and in 2006 when the team was rebranded as Midland. In addition, the Silverstone-based team will produce its own transmission gearbox package for the first time. Adrian Newey, who left Red Bull Racing in May 2024, signed a deal with Aston Martin in September 2024 and joined the team the following March, in time for the 2026 regulations. Newey also became a major shareholder of Aston Martin. Enrico Cardile, who was announced as the new Chief Technical Officer in July 2024, commenced work in his new position officially the following August. Going into 2026, Cowell was moved to the role of chief strategy officer, with Newey becoming team principal.

^ "Honda to make full-scale F1 return in 2026 as they join forces with Aston Martin". Formula 1®. 24 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

^ Straw, Edd (24 May 2023). "Honda deal makes Aston Martin's grand F1 goals plausible". The Race. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

^ Mitchell-Malm, Scott (24 May 2023). "Aston Martin and Honda announce 2026 F1 engine partnership". The Race. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

^ Kew, Matt (1 June 2023). "Wolff: Aston Martin's Honda switch does not show Mercedes F1 engine has declined". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 1 June 2023.

^ Mitchell-Malm, Scott (10 May 2023). "Honda F1 2026 engine looking likely with Aston Martin". The Race. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

^ "Jordan to Carry Toyota Branding in 2005". Autosport. 8 February 2005.

^ "Toyota to supply Midland with engines in 2006". Times of Malta. 1 August 2005.

^ "Aston Martin to build own F1 gearbox". grandprix.com. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.

^ "Adrian Newey to join Aston Martin as Silverstone squad win race to sign F1 design guru". Formula1.com. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.

^ "F1 design great Newey joins Aston Martin". BBC Sport. 10 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.

^ "Newey embarks on his first official day at Aston Martin". Formula1.com. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.

^ "Adrian Newey: Legendary F1 designer starts work at Aston Martin after switch from Red Bull". Sky Sports. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 3 March 2025.

^ "Enrico Cardile to join Aston Martin as F1 Chief Technical Officer following Ferrari departure". Formula1.com. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2025.

^ "Aston Martin tech chief finally starts as Ferrari legal issue resolved". The Race. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.

^ "Ex-Ferrari F1 technical chief begins work with Aston Martin". Motorsport Week. 4 August 2025. Retrieved 6 August 2025.

^ "Newey to become Aston Martin team principal in 2026". BBC Sport. 26 November 2025.

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