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Aston Martin Red Bull Racing Is Now A Thing, Mid-Engine Supercar Incoming

Marketing and sponsorship deals have their ways of complicating things that, boiled down to the core, are simple in nature. The best case in point in Formula 1 is Red Bull, which even though it uses Renault engines, the title sponsor is Aston Martin. But the thing is, don’t forget to read between the lines.
Aston Martin Red Bull Racing 16 photos
Photo: Red Bull Racing on Facebook
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First of all, the British automaker known for its V12- and V8-powered grand touring cars is interested in the king motorsport’s 2021 technical regulations shake-up. If there’s a case to be made as an engine supplier and if the cost control is right, then Aston Martin will jump into the fray for good.

On the other hand, Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari aren’t happy with the NASCAR-ization of the hybrid power unit, with the latter team threatening Liberty Media by veto and even the threat to leave Formula 1. To this effect, the people who control the most important single-seater racing series find themselves between a rock and a hard place, whilst Aston Martin is looking forward to see how the ball game will move forward in the coming years.

Another element worth highlighting is Red Bull’s imminent engine switch planned for the 2019 season, with team principal Christian Horner confirming that the Milton Keynes-based outfit is working closely with Honda towards this goal. That’s right, ladies and gents; that Honda which convinced McLaren to strike a deal with Renault for the 2018 season. Puzzling, isn't it?

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Aston Martin head honcho Andy Palmer made it clear that in the first instance, the automaker is not pursuing a physical return. “This is to seed the soil for when we bring a mid-engined car to compete with the Ferrari 488, which is what the Valkyrie was about. It’s about creating credibility ready for when we go mainstream face-to-face with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren on the road,” said the chief exec.

The Aston Martin mid-engine supercar in question is confirmed to arrive in 2020. Slotting above the next-generation Vanquish but below the Valkyrie hypercar, the yet-unnamed model is expected to receive a twin-turbo V6.



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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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