Next year Racing Point will continue under the name Aston Martin and this change is likely to boost the team's current progress. With Lance Stroll as a permanent fixture and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel joining the team, the chances for the Silverstone-based team seem pretty good.
Mark Hughes even expects Aston Martin to pull off a big surprise. "In 2020 they were actually the third car, behind Mercedes and Red Bull Racing. For next year, the 'pink Mercedes' will be a green Mercedes. They get to take successful parts from the 2020 Mercedes and that's definitely going to help them," Hughes explained on MotorsportMagazine.
Aston Martin second team on F1-grid?
Apart from the name change and a new driver, not much is changing at Aston Martin, which will most likely help, the F1 journalist expects. "There are no drastic changes. The same people are still developing the car. Vettel underperformed last years, but that is also because he was not comfortable in the car. The Aston Martin car is much better for his driving style."
Hughes explains that if Vettel can find his feet at the English team, Aston Martin may yet spring some surprises. "Of course it depends on what progress Red Bull-Honda and Ferrari make, with both having major engine upgrades. Aston Martin otherwise has a realistic chance of being the second team behind Mercedes next season," concluded Hughes.