As a new year dawned, so did the next stage of the rebranding of Racing Point. A quick search on social media showed that the names of the team pages have been changed. Now, following a press release by the team, there is clearer idea of what is to come as Aston Martin makes a long overdue return to the grid this year. It seems that the team formerly known by some as the Pink Mercedes will seek to make those on the grid green with envy in 2021.

Formula One is a sport which regularly involves a team becoming rebranded. This could be due to sponsor interest or current owners choosing to move on from the sport. 2020’s record breaking 7-time Constructors’ Champions Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team are no stranger to rebranding themselves. British American Racing (BAR) bought out Tyrrell prior to the 1999 Formula 1 World Championship. Then as it seemed all hope was lost, after an infamous management buyout, Honda became Brawn GP in 2009 and won the F1 Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships. After just one year the team then became Mercedes and set about breaking a range of records.

One of the highlights of 2020 was seeing Nico Hulkenberg return to the grid for Racing Point in place of Sergio Perez when he was quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19. The German racer commented on his Instagram, on New Year’s Eve, that: “Hulkenback 2.0 was my special sporting moment.” It is still possible to look back through the sporting exploits of Hulkenberg as well as Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez but any fan doing so will now be on the newly rebranded Instagram handle of astonmartinf1.

Such sweeping changes can now be seen throughout all social media pages associated with the team. Also, there seems to be no doubt that Aston Martin’s British Racing Green will be the focal point of the livery when the team returns to the grid later in the year. Following on from this, Aston Martin have announced a press release on media.astonmartin.com

A new era begins as British luxury carmaker returns to Grand Prix racing for the first time in over 60 years; The Aston Martin Formula One Team will make its Grand Prix debut in Melbourne, Australia, on 21st March; The new 2021 F1 car and team livery will be revealed in February.

The timeline announced in today’s press release whets our appetite in anticipation of Aston Martin’s return to an F1 grid after six decades – 61 years to be precise. Following on from the development shown in its former incarnation as Racing Point, Aston Martin will be confident of success in 2021 following the signing of 4-time F1 Champion Sebastian Vettel to go alongside 2020 Turkish GP pole-sitter Lance Stroll.

Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin Lagonda Executive Chairman said:

“Formula 1 is a hugely powerful platform that will play a key part in the overall Aston Martin strategy as we seek to take the company forward. It is a truly global sport with a huge audience that we believe can help reignite the brand and further increase its desirability all over the world. This is a brand that has already had huge success in top-level international motorsport such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and now we have an opportunity to write a new page in the history books. That’s a hugely exciting prospect for anyone who is a lover of the Aston Martin brand, for fans of Formula 1 and the sport itself.”

Otmar Szafnauer, CEO & Team Principal, said:

“We’ve had almost a year of preparation to reach this point and we’re really looking forward to seeing the reaction when we finally unveil our new identity as the Aston Martin Formula One Team. Representing such an iconic brand is a huge privilege for every member of the team. We’ve earned a well-deserved reputation for punching above our weight, so we’re confident we can do the Aston Martin name proud right from the get-go. It’s the start of a new journey and I can sense an extra energy in the team, with a determination to push performance further than ever before. Combined with some of the most creative minds in the business, a true racers’ mentality and the can-do spirit that has served us so well through the years, we have every reason to be excited about the future”

When the Honda team was on the verge of bankruptcy in F1, no one would have predicted that in just over ten years the team would have 7 Constructors’ Championships to their name – albeit in a different guise. So who knows what success will come to Aston Martin in the coming years?

To coin a phrase from legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker “in Formula One, anything can happen and it usually does.”