Aston Martin takes Mercedes as an example: 'We need to get close'

For Aston Martin the start of the 2021 Formula 1 season has not gone entirely according to plan. The British team has lost a lot with the new regulations, but is ready to fight to get back to the front.

Setback for Aston Martin

In recent years, Force India or Racing Point could always be found at the front of the midfield. In 2016, 2017 and 2020 the team also finished in a handsome fourth place in the constructors. In 2021, however, the team under the Aston Martin name seems to have more problems.

These problems are mainly caused by the new regulations, which seem to affect the low-rake teams more. Otmar Szafnauer was already unhappy with the way these new regulations are going, but he is still combative. He sees opportunities to achieve good results again in 2021.

Aston Martin fights on in 2021

''We absolutely have to look at what lap times Mercedes can do. We have the same engine, gearbox and rear suspension. So if they are able to drive such lap times, then we should be able to come close,'' the Aston Martin team boss is clear towards Motorsport.com.

The only question is when should the team shift its focus to 2022? ''If I knew, I would say so. But unfortunately, I don't know yet. The trade-off we have to make is how much more can we win this year at the expense of next year? That is extremely difficult to predict and so we are continuing with the parallel development at the moment,'' Szafnauer concludes.