F1 factory Aston Martin will not open its doors for another 18 months

Starting next season, Aston Martin will have a bigger role in Formula 1, as title sponsor of the old Racing Point team. The manufacturer is also coming up with a brand new F1 factory, but those plans are now experiencing delays.

Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Aston Martin F1, has big plans for the team. He already made that known when he took the reins in 2018, by announcing a new factory. After all, the current factory dates back to 1991 and requires replacement.

The idea was to open Aston Martin's F1 factory in mid-2021. This would not allow the team to start working at the new location before the season, but rather from the summer break. Those plans have now changed, however. "The plans are there, but the timing has been changed by COVID-19. We are now in the design phase and all departments have a chance to give their input, to make sure everything is as efficient as possible. The new target is to go online in August 2022," Otmar Szafnauer told Formula1.com.

A scalable factory

It won't be a huge move for the team, as the factory will be on the site of the current factory - right opposite Silverstone Circuit. "It's still the original plan. We have to make sure we put down the right size. I'm sure with the budget cap we'll all learn what sacrifices we have to make to stay under budget. The plan for the factory is that if for some reason something changes in the budget cap, everything is scalable," the team boss continued.

In addition to the new factory, Aston Martin F1 is, of course, going to have a different colour on its car. Exactly what that will be will become clear in March, when the official unveiling of the 'new' team takes place.