Aston Martin seemingly end interest in producing F1 engines

The new engine rules for 2021 looked tempting at first for Aston Martin to join the F1 as an engine supplier, but CEO Andy Palmer has now explained that Aston almost definitely won't be participating after all.

The new regulations are supposed to make it a lot cheaper to develop an engine. The intention of this rule was to attract new engine manufacturers to the F1 apart from the four that are already active now. 

Aston Martin were among the companies that had a real interest in joining the F1 from that point onwards, but that looks unlikely now. Even with the new regulations, the cost of developing an F1-worthy engine will simply be too high for Aston, Palmer explained.

“It doesn’t look like the new regulations will be of interest, sadly," he revealed to Autocar.

“Aston was interested on the basis that costs would be controlled and that the formula would be one part of an equation that would put control back into the hands of the driver.

"I don’t see the costs coming down far enough with the regulations I’ve heard discussed and I do see that the opportunity to spend a fortune chasing down a tenth of a second a lap will remain."

That's something that a company of the relatively small size of Aston Martin simply can't afford to do, which is why they are not joining the F1.

“At Aston, we love the sport, and we’d love to be involved, but we cannot get involved in an arms race.

"It’s needlessly expensive and it undermines the sport, because whoever has the advantage of that tenth will win. 

"I won’t say we’re definitely not going to do it until I see the final proposal because there are still some areas where there is not enough clarity.

"But if the door is left open to a spending war, then we won’t be involved.”

Alright, so the door is not completely slammed shut. Let's just hope a miracle will happen and Aston will join the F1 after all (as more than a sponsor), that would be amazing!