(CU)_British luxury carmaker Aston Martin on Wednesday (March 3) launched its first Formula One car in over 60 years, ahead of its return to the most famous racing event in the world. The “AMR21” car was launched by the Aston Martin Cognizant F1 team at a virtual event which was broadcast from London.
The car is expected to compete in the 2021 Formula One World Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Bahrain on March 28.
Luxury carmakers from Ferrari to Mercedes use Formula One to promote the strength of their brand as the racing events are watched by millions of fans around the world.
However, with its share price on the London Stock Exchange falling sharply last year, Aston Martin has been struggling financially. Therefore, the carmaker hopes Formula One will boost sales of Aston Martin road cars like the Vanquish, the Vantage and the DB11.
Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, described the launch as a “monumental” moment.
“To have a platform such as Formula One to market our initiatives, show our technology, and ultimately bring that technology into our road cars … is a huge game changer,” he said.
The new car is expected to be driven by Germany’s Sebastian Vettel and Canada’s Lance Stroll. Although he has raced for four Formula One teams for many years, starting a new season with a new team gives him a sense of excitement, Vettel said in a statement.
“I have always kept my eye on the competition and this team has consistently impressed me with what they have been able to do without the biggest of budgets.”
The AMR21 will make its track debut on Thursday after which, it will be traveling to Bahrain next week ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
