Aston Martin announces F1 entry

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Aston Martin has confirmed it will enter Formula 1, Autocar magazine claims this morning.

It intends to defer its entry until 2012 but its team will begin competing from 2010 as Prodrive.

David Richards’ team has been tipped to enter F1 on two occasions in recent years. It planned an entry for 2008 using customer car regulations, but withdrew after the FIA failed to get the rules approved. Richards was also linked to a takeover of the Honda team, but backed away from a deal saying F1 was ‘still too expensive’.

The team is expected to enter under the FIA budget capping rules – though those rules are expected to be modified from Max Mosley’s original proposed limit of 40m, following the initiative put forward by Mercedes.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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59 comments on “Aston Martin announces F1 entry”

  1. Deferred until this budget cap can be sorted out.
    I wonder if they can get the Gulf livery like they had for LeMans?

    1. Oh imagine that. Wouldn’t that be the most beautiful F1 car ever?

    2. http://img7.imageshack.us/my.php?image=astoni.jpg

      I made this on rfactor. Based on the Le Mans livery. I’d love it if they did this :)

    3. To Tommy B,

      I checked out you Aston Martin F1 car.

      Two words for you.

      Absolutely Beautiful!!!

    4. Gulf would be nice, but what about a martini livery!

    5. Thanks Spud glad you like it. I love the Gulf livery, its just classic. An icon

    6. TommyB that is class!! …and so significantly different than every other car on the grid that I really hope that they do it.

      I mean how cool would that be to see the same liveried cars in F1 and Le Mans under the Aston Martin brand. For me, as a marketing exercise, that would really work!

    7. Nice texture Tommy B!

    8. im pretty sure they’ll use some form of british racing green

      1. I don’t think gulf works on an F1 car, the central orange stripe makes the car look tall. They may use it, but I’d prefer british racing green.

  2. According to Autosport, all F1 teams except Toyota will enter F1 by the deadline, and they have agreed in a budget cap system starting at 100 million next season and going down to 45 million by 2011.

  3. with dave richards they have a chance but im not overly keen on “badging” f1 cars. if its prodrive call it prodrive. you cant invent cache its earnt; plus if it goes wrong – see jaguar- its a hugely expensive and embarrassing project.

  4. It seems they are using the strategy of only using the Aston Martin name when the team are hopefully competitive. This is what Renault did when they bought Benetton, they didn’t rename it straight away but waited a while till the team were more competitive.

    Whereas when Ford bought Stewart they rebranded it Jaguar the next season.

  5. Fantastic news, this is the one piece of news I’ve been hoping for for some years now. I always regretted Dave Richards exit from the sport, he was the only Team Principal that actually took BAR/Honda anywhere and I fully believe had he continued at the helm it would have been a championship force. Of all the new teams coming in, this is the one that will quickly assert itself in F1. DR! you are the man!

    im not overly keen on “badging” f1 cars. if its prodrive call it prodrive.

    Whether you call it Aston Martin, Prodrive or Team Banana it is still Prodrive. All Dave Richards is doing is attaching the Aston Martin brand to what he hopes in 2012 will be a successful operation (if not he won’t be attaching the brand to it), its advertising pure and simple and personally I think it would be great to have the name in the sport.

    1. Team Banana, now thats a name I’d like to see in F1 hahaha

  6. dougie i agree with your dave Richards sentiments. honda were fools to get rid of him and put the car plant manager fry in charge.

    i just dont think you can parachute a name into f1 and expect it to do what it did for ferrari or lotus. still its going to happen and its got more cache than some of the touted names that are likely to come in.

    1. I agree – BAR/Honda really hit a slump in form once he got booted out.

  7. HounslowBusGarage
    29th May 2009, 11:39

    Well, today is D-Day (29th May). The last day for 2010 entries, theoretically.
    As I recall, there are places for 13 teams and three have been booked already (US F1, Williams and Campos). If the Autosport article is correct and Prodrive sign up today, and if the BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8072295.stm) is also right and Litespeed sign today, that will make five teams.
    Then there will only be room for eight other teams. Currently, there are ten F1 teams . . .

    1. I believe preference is given to existing teams (so long as they lodge their entry before the deadline) so it will be a case of selecting 3 from the 5 new teams (Lola, Prodrive, Team US F1, Campos and Litespeed) I predict Prodrive, Team US F1 and 1 other. Having said that I won’t be suprised if Toyota pull out at the end of this season, and the rumours that Renault may sell up to Briatore don’t suprise me either (the return of Benetton maybe?) so there may be as many as 5 new team names on the grid next year!!

    2. I suspect it will be Campos, USGPE and probably Prodrive. I actully think Campos is probably the safest of the entries.

  8. If the regulations are sorted out in time for them to ‘build’ a car, Adrian. Nobody knows what they have to work to yet.

  9. woooooooooooo!! My girlfriends Dad works for Aston. Hope we get some freebies :-D

  10. Team Banana by DGR
    29th May 2009, 13:15

    The BBC article says the budget for 2010 will be 85M, and with support from existing teams, this has encouraged Prodrive to put themselves forward again.
    I am surprised the FIA are going to allow the existing teams priority, considering the aggro they have been making over the budget cuts. It would make more sense (as far as FIA are concerned) to allow the new teams straight in, and have the existing teams fight for places instead…….. :-)

    1. I disagree with this. Every attempt should be made to keep existing teams in the sport, so there is more consistency year to year – and hence overall stability.

      Why only 26 cars though??? Can’t we go back to the pre-qualify days and have more teams..? the more the better in my opinion.

    2. TO DGR,luv Your Thinking Man,The Thing W/Prodrive,Aston,.
      What Ever,Is a Good Thing They Should Be Reped in The Formula.
      Racing Improves The Breed,Some One Said……..Leo

    3. @John H

      Why only 26 cars though??? Can’t we go back to the pre-qualify days and have more teams..? the more the better in my opinion.

      Somehow I have a feeling that the manufacturer teams might not like that. We have seen Toyota, Renault, etc. missing the cut on Q1 — imagine if they missed PQ and could not even race!

  11. nice attempt at the look tommyb. retro advertised f1 cars is a great idea. no lotus and no black and gold is still a sad loss.

    be nice to see racing green on a car but “it doesnt show up on tv” so a vain hope.

  12. Team Banana by DGR

    LOL!! :-D

    be nice to see racing green on a car but “it doesnt show up on tv” so a vain hope.

    As much as the car was cack, I really like the livery of the Jaguar in particular the shade of metallic/pearlescant green.

  13. Hopefully Toyota will go to give space for some new teams :)

  14. FOTA statement:

    All FOTA Teams have today submitted conditional entries for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship.

    FOTA confirms all its Members’ long-term commitment to be involved in the FIA Formula One World Championship and has unanimously agreed further and significant actions to substantially reduce the costs of competing in the Championship in the next three years, creating a mechanism that will preserve the technological competition and the sporting challenge and, at the same time, facilitate the entry in the F1 Championship for new Teams. These measures are in line with what has been already decided in 2009 within FOTA, achieving important savings on engines and gearboxes.

    All FOTA teams have entered the 2010 championship on the basis that:

    1) The Concorde Agreement is signed by all parties before 12th June 2009, after which all FOTA teams will commit to competing in Formula One until 2012. The renewal of the Concorde Agreement will provide security for the future of the sport by binding all parties in a formal relationship that will ensure stability via sound governance.

    2) The basis of the 2010 regulations will be the current 2009 regulations, amended in accordance with proposals that FOTA has submitted to the FIA.

    All FOTA teams’ entries for the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship have been submitted today on the understanding that (a) all FOTA teams will be permitted to compete during the 2010 Formula One Season on an identical regulatory basis and (b) that they may only be accepted as a whole.

    All FOTA teams now look forward with optimism to collaborating proactively and productively with the FIA, with a view to establishing a solid foundation on which the future of a healthy and successful Formula One can be built, providing lasting stability and sound governance.

  15. Prisoner Monkeys
    29th May 2009, 14:49

    Reading between the lines a little bit – on this as well as other reports – it seems the Mercedes Solution is, at the very least, being given lots of consideration. Richards was holding back to see how the landscape played out post-Monaco, but he was quoted by Reuters as saying “The level of next year’s cost cap has risen substantially since we originally considered entering”.

    Somehow, I don’t think he means the original rise from thirty million to forty.

  16. LOLA HAVE CONFIRMED ASWELL!!

  17. * as well

  18. I won’t say I told you so but… oh bu99er it! yes I will…

    I told you so…

    If anything I would maybe say 40mill from 2011, 80mill from 2010.

    Ferrari, McLaren, Williams are not going to leave (personally I don’t care for the BMW or Toyotas as they are typical of the “in it for the moment” ethos), the 3 and Max are not stupid enough to let that happen… all we are seeing at the moment is positioning, it will all work out in the end and Formula 1 will continue as we know and love it.

    According to this Guardian report it will be 85mill for 2010 and 40mill for 2011.

    1. oops, forgot the smiley face…

      :-D

    2. Read it carefully, Dougie :)

      I read it as:
      This is conditional on FOTA`s suggestions being accepted &, under the Concorde Agreement, the F1 Commission has to decide before new regulations can be brought in. This is what Max has been sidelining to bring in regulatory changes as & when he sees fit.
      If that`s right then FOTA are saying “OK. We`ve signed but only on terms we (FOTA) agree on.

  19. Yeah, I know it conditional on the output of all the talks, and also on the signing of the Concorde Agreement (which is something Bernie wants anyway).

    Hands up who believes it won’t happen… no one?… oh okay ;-)

    1. If the FOTA suggestions are as published in March then they are not what Max wants, Dougie. For instance, there are cost-savings but no budget cap in those FOTA suggestions.
      The fact that the FIA are also signatories of the Concorde Agreement also binds them to anything therein, I understand.
      I think we need further details to be sure exactly what they mean.

  20. I think it is pretty obvious the FOTA suggestions are not as per March but regarding the two step budget cap (€100mill 2010 & €45mill 2011) with a single set of rules as per 2009, and the cheap parts & technical sharing with new teams… leading to every man for himself in 2011.

    The teams also want a stop to the adhoc rule changes, also tying themselves into the sport until 2012 making Bernie happy, by signing the Concorde Agreement.

    On that note… Max ain’t as stupid as people think, this is pure speculation and nobody really knows (except Max) but whose to say that this wasn’t his plan all along. By showing the teams he is free to change rules as he wants, and doing it in such a shocking way, has brought the teams together talking and agreeing to major cost reductions over the next 2 years and also getting firm commitments to stay for the next 3 years… Max & Bernie must be rubbing their hands in glee, they’ve been pushing for major cost reductions and Concorde signatures since it lapsed.

    1. They are stating that 2010 entry is to be as under 2009 rules. No cap.
      This is just delaying the showdown.

  21. Bigbadderboom
    29th May 2009, 15:54

    Trawling the usual sources I gather there are now 15 team submissions with only 13 slots, now this will be interesting on what basis a slot is granted!! FOTA have said that its everyone or no-one from their group, and williams submitted yesterday, so its 2 of the newbies who won’t take to the grid next season!!!

    1. Unless we lose some of the existing teams it looks that way to me, too.

  22. 2)The basis of the 2010 regulations will be the current 2009 regulations, amended in accordance with proposals that FOTA has submitted to the FIA.

    My read on this is that those proposals include…

    the two step budget cap (€100mill 2010 & €45mill 2011) with a single set of rules as per 2009, and the cheap parts & technical sharing with new teams

    However, I think for now it would be prudent to agree to disagree on this one until, as you say, the detail comes out.

    Lets go to the pub, I’m pretty sure it’s my round… :-)

    1. But, as yet, the proposal remains just something the media have come up with. There has been no FOTA statement for us to know whether that speculation was correct or not. There probably are other details on which they will base their demands but we don`t know what they are.
      It`s a case of do we believe what the media tell us?
      On the whole I`ve learned to be very sceptical on that. Alonso would have been driving for Ferrari for the last 2 years; Norbert Haug is a little-known non-entity in motorsport & nobody in FOTA realised they had different contracts until about a week ago.
      I`ll wait for the full details but I don`t see this as anything more than FOTA laying its` cards on the table & saying “Your choice, Max. Take us all on terms we agree to or you still stand a chance of losing us all”.

  23. Actually, taking your three examples…

    Alonso would have been driving for Ferrari for the last 2 years

    If Alonso drives for Ferrari in 2010 or 2011 with a contract that has already been in place (no doubt with clauses) then the media is right.

    Norbert Haug is a little-known non-entity in motorsport

    I think you’ve used a bit of artistic licence there, but yes there was one news report that implied the public may not know who he is.

    nobody in FOTA realised they had different contracts until about a week ago

    Actually, they all knew there were different contracts with FIA & FOM, just that they were not aware of Ferraris ability to veto regulations.

    All of my responses I got through reading and understanding media reports.

    1. All I`m saying, Dougie, is that I`m prepared to wait to see what the teams, FOTA & the FIA have to say rather than believe everything that the hacks come up with. I can`t see anything wrong in that.

  24. Nope, nowt wrong with that. Just not quite as much fun as speculating ;-)

    Didn’t mean to offend, sorry if I did.

    1. I`m not easy to offend, Dougie.
      No apology needed.
      LOL – I don`t go in much for speculation that`s why I don`t enter the Fantasy F1 games or the silly season ‘who is moving where’ stuff. Just different strokes, eh? :)

  25. Absolutely, the world would be a boring place if we were all the same.

    In all honesty I don’t completely believe the word as written myself, I try to look beyond the spin mostly.

    I guess we both believe what we want to believe… and it’s more fun that way :-)

  26. ah crap, they’ve not kept refuelling have they?

  27. Well in terms of the general public, a lot more people know who Aston-Martin are than ‘Prodrive’ are – so therefore more people are likely to want to see Aston-Martin.

    I don’t really see the point of Aston competing at Le Mans, in reality they will get thrashed by the diesel-powered LMP1 cars. With Prodrive’s engineering capabilities, Aston-Martin could win in Formula One. Well, lets hope anyway!

  28. They should just brand the team ‘Prodrive Aston-Martin’ or ‘Aston-Martin Prodrive’. Keep both names.

  29. I don’t think Prodrive should be granted an entry for 2010. They were given the chance to enter F1 in 2008 and failed. Let someone else without a proven track record of failure enter instead.

  30. Good news. I wonder if Aston Martin will be building their own engines…

  31. The big point everyone may have overlooked is that FOTA file all nine team applications as one with the intent of forcing Max to accept them all or reject them all.

    As for Richards Prodrive/Aston Martin intentions, I think DR sees an opportunity for AM to inherit the mantle of Ferrari if they all leave. It could also be an incentive for Ferrari to stay on and have a marque to race against.

    TommyB, your Gulf liveried car looks fantastic, not to mention Gulf gas sponsorship tied to Gulf States finance backing.

  32. Tommy B – nice!
    But theres not enough crappy little adverts all over it! ;D
    Besides, they’ll do some vs of British Racing Green. :(

  33. @Dougie – I’d agree, I think it was all some sort of shock therapy for the big guys.
    The idiotic notion that its a level playing field when Ferrari spends half a billion dollars a year on it was just silly. I mean, heck that’d buy half a nuke submarine!

  34. I’m actually getting excited abotu this. Perhaps it is actually true!

    http://www.astonmartinf1.com

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