Even before engines are fired up ahead of the opening round of the 2016 Formula 1 season, the paddock in Melbourne is buzzing with the soon to be officially confirmed news that Red Bull and Aston Martin have agreed to a partnership.
In July last year we reported that Aston Martin power may have emerged as Red Bull’s ticket back to the front of the grid, after it emerged that the British luxury road car manufacturer was in talks with the former world champions, but Aston Martin did not comment.
Andy Palmer, the former Nissan executive, who was instrumental in securing Red Bull's deal with Infiniti, said at the time, "The bottom line is that it would be very difficult for us. We as a company don’t have the kind of money to go into Formula 1 and make a decent job of it"
"Unless I thought we could be challenging Ferrari in some way, shape or form I just wouldn’t contemplate doing it," he added.
With a Red Bull deal in place the project will be well funded no doubt, and the idea of challenging the top teams not a mere pipe-dream.
Palmer concluded then, "The best I can tell you is that it’s improbable. I never say never but it’s improbable..."
Clearly the improbable is now reality.
Aston Martin had a brief flirtation with Formula 1 in 1959 and 1960 run by the David Brown Corporation with drivers Roy Salvadori, Maurice Trintignant and Carroll Shelby. The best results being a couple of second places during the 1959 season.
Interestingly in 2013 Aston Martin signed a deal with Daimler AG to supply new Mercedes-AMG power plants and electrical systems for the next generation line up.
Since then Daimler AG acquired 5% of Aston Martin.
Red Bull official announcement here>>>
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