Aramco will work with Aston Martin to help the team meet Formula One's target of cars powered entirely by sustainable fuels by 2025.
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The Aston Martin Formula One team announced on Thursday (February 3) that it has signed a long-term partnership with Saudi Arabia’s state-owned energy giant Aramco, which it hopes will help it achieve its goal of winning races and championships. Aramco will work with Aston Martin to help the team meet Formula One’s target of cars powered entirely by sustainable fuels by 2025 and develop more efficient hybrid engines in motorsport. Aramco is already a major Formula One sponsor, with its logo appearing on trackside signage.
The team said in a statement that the partnership will also include the development and commercialization of fuel-efficient engine technologies for road cars, advanced lubricants, and the use of non-metallic materials in vehicles. Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team will be the new name of the team.
“We are in the sport to win…” said Aston Martin chairman and Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, in a statement. “So I am delighted to welcome an incredible partner of the stature of Aramco … which I know will greatly assist our team to achieve our goals of winning Formula One world championships.”
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When the team was known as Force India, Stroll bought it out of administration in 2018 and renamed it Aston Martin the following year. In 2021, the team finished seventh in the standings, but they have high hopes for the future. Last season, they hired Sebastian Vettel, a four-time champion, to drive alongside Lance Stroll. They’re also constructing a new factory and have recruited top talent from other organisations. Mike Krack, the former BMW Motorsport director, was signed last month. Martin Whitmarsh, the former McLaren team boss, was named the team’s group chief executive last year.
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“Winning in Formula One is all about assembling and managing the right ingredients in the optimal way,” said Whitmarsh in Thursday’s statement. “Aramco is an innovative company whose ultra-high-tech expertise will make a very real and hugely valuable contribution to improving the performance of, and delivering the future success of, Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team.”
Saudi Arabia hosted its first grand prix around the streets of Jeddah last year, and Aramco signed a global long-term deal with Formula One in 2020. With the Formula E championship and the Dakar Rally already held in the Gulf kingdom, the Aston Martin deal raises the country’s profile on the international motorsport stage even more. Formula One is aiming for a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030 and is transitioning to 100% sustainable fuels. This year’s race will use E10 fuel, which is a blend of 90% fossil fuel and 10% ethanol.
