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Foto de: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
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In the mid-1950s, Aston Martin began to consider becoming involved in F1, while prioritizing its program at Endurance, which would greatly disrupt the progress of the project. Building on the DB3S , which ran in Endurance, Aston Martin slowly introduced the DBR4, which it tested in 1957. When it was finally introduced to the public in early 1959, after an unsuccessful first launch in 1958, several elements were almost technologically obsolete, one of them in particular.
At the end of the 1950s, F1 underwent a technological revolution. The Cooper team began testing the rear engine in 1957, while the entire field was limited to the front engine. It soon became clear that this would be the future, since it had several advantages, including constant traction (since the weight of the engine was permanently on the rear wheels) and a much lower center of gravity (since it was not necessary to spend a driveshaft under the driver’s seat). All of this offered opportunities in terms of aerodynamics, weight and handling. Stirling Moss brought this technology to the Grand Prix for the first time at Argentina 1958 with the Cooper T43.
Aston Martin, on the other hand, stuck with the front engine. A decision that would compromise the fate of that car. Despite the car’s handsome looks, handling, and a promising and misleading debut at the Silverstone International Trophy (a non-championship race in which Roy Salvadori finished second behind Jack Brabham’s Cooper and ahead of Carroll ‘s Aston Martin) Shelby, sixth), the reality of the season was quite different, as the car was unsuccessful aerodynamically and would be too heavy to compete.
After the Dutch Grand Prix and an expected double retirement due to delays, the DBR4 would only return for three more races, during which it would take two sixth places. During that time, Cooper definitely triumphed with the rear engine taking the drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
For 1960, Aston Martin made the wise decision to design a new F1 car, but made the mistake of basing it on the DBR4.
The DBR5 was intended to be more compact and lighter, but also more powerful, while remaining a front-engined car. Once again, due to delays, he would only compete in one race, in Great Britain, which was enough to demonstrate his very limited potential, confirm an outdated concept and convince Aston Martin to leave F1 and concentrate on endurance racing. where the brand had won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1959.
Although the return was rumored for several times, it especially gained strength in the 2010s, when they were first offered to Red Bull as motorists and then began negotiations with Force India, which did not come to fruition.
The brand finally entered F1 in 2016, although as one of Red Bull’s partners, and already in 2017 they pointed to the 2021 season as the final arrival on the grid. In 2018 it became the main sponsor of Red Bull, and then they started working on an engine for the premier class.
It was a project that was gaining strength and that interested several teams, and even got a ‘girlfriend’, Cosworth, who wanted to join Aston Martin as a motorcyclist. However, the change of course and final entry came in a different way. In late 2018, a consortium led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll bailed out Force India, later renamed Racing Point . And that same man, Stroll, father of the driver Lance , reached an agreement with Aston Martin in the second half of 2020 so that, from 2021, the name and colors of the legendary team would once again appear on the F1 grid.
The return of the Aston Martin brand to Formula 1 was with Lance Stroll and the signing of Sebastian Vettel, whom Ferrari had not wanted to renew. However, and despite the fact that in the previous season Racing Point had achieved some success with its ‘pink Mercedes’, the rules of the 2021 course (intended in part to curb Mercedes’ dominance) weighed down those from Silverstone , who fell to seventh place in the constructors’ world championship.
In 2022 a step forward was expected as they continued to make important signings of engineers, mechanics and senior personnel, but the new regulations caught them off the hook and they are currently the second worst car in the championship. In part it was this that led Sebastian Vettel to announce his retirement and that ended up triggering the surprise signing of Alonso for 2023 and the following years.
That performance is what leads many to wonder if the Spaniard’s decision is the right one, but the two-time champion has seen a lot of future in the Aston Martin program and above all an exciting one in the short and medium term.
