Aston Martin and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team has been partners for a decade now. Even before Lawrence Stroll took over the leadership of the Racing Point, the Silver Arrows had backed the team wholeheartedly. The Silverstone-based team used Mercedes-manufactured engines, gearboxes, rear suspension, and many more car components.
It’s worth noting that the Aston Martins have long been a back marker on the grid. They had fewer resources which disallowed them from building a strong car prior to the introduction of the budget cap rule. The cost cap rule came in as a blessing for the back markers teams as they finally had a chance to compete with the top teams on the grid. Out of all, the Aston Martin made the most use of it and came ahead of their partner, Mercedes, on the grid this 2023 season. But looks like the long partnership between two teams is coming to an end soon. This is because Aston Martin has found another power unit supplier in the form of Honda. But why are they making this big move? Keep reading to find out.
Fierce Competitiveness Prompted Aston Martin To Terminate Decade-Long Partnership With Mercedes
Till last year, nobody thought the Aston Martins could be the second-best team on the grid. But their engineers did the unthinkable. They built a car fast enough to outperform their engine partners and reigning champions of the sport, Mercedes. Now, their next target is Red Bull. But with built-in components supplied by Mercedes, it’s difficult for Aston Martin to produce a replica of the RB19. Hence, the team has decided to cut ties with the Silver Arrows once and for all and signed with Honda. They will now supply engines to the Silverstone-based team from 2026. Honda is currently partnering with Red Bull as Honda RBPT and helped them in developing the flying beast on the track. Hence, Aston Martin believes that partnering with Honda can help them edge past the Red Bulls.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin CEO Martin Whitmarsh explained the idea behind this move. According to him, Mercedes and Aston Martin are now competitors on the track. Hence, sharing the same engine as your prime competitor does not make sense at all. He added that beating a strong opponent such as the Silver Arrows is not possible if they share the same intellectual property, facilities, and components. As a result, in a bid to grow and possibly win, the team had to make the tough decision to part ways for good with Mercedes. The CEO very much believes that they are in contention for winning the championship and will do everything in its power to achieve that ultimate goal in the near future.
Aston Martin Wants To Emulate The Red Bulls
It’s widely known that the main reason behind Aston Martin joining hands with Honda is because they desperately want to emulate the Red Bull design. Hence, the team is using all sorts of means to follow the Red Bull’s trajectory to success. Red Bull rose to power after using the Honda engines in 2021. But now, they have joined hands with Ford, leaving the Japanese car manufacturers without a partner.
Eyeing Aston Martin’s meteoric rise, Honda approached them, and the team welcomed the offer with open hands. It is their first step in emulating Red Bull’s flying RB19. Still, the Silverstone-based team needs to stay vigilant and be careful not to lose their own individuality. Coping the same design could end badly as well if the plan is not followed properly.
