Aston Martin F1 Team in Billion-Dollar Crossroads: Sale Talks Ignite Paddock Gossip
Oct.6 - Wild rumours are doing the rounds in the Qatar paddock about the potential sale of the Aston Martin team.
According to Sport1, Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll is said to be mulling over a giant EUR 800 million offer lodged by the Saudi Arabian state oil company Aramco - already the team's title sponsor.
Officially, the Silverstone based outfit denied the news.
"Lawrence has made it clear that a sale is out of the question," a spokesman said. "The sport is more popular than ever and the value of the teams is constantly increasing.
"Nothing like that is planned."
Billionaire fashion magnate Stroll, however, commented: "That (a sale) is not planned at the moment. But we were approached.
"Formula 1 is a sport and a business that is on fire at the moment."
Well-known F1 sources are wondering if Stroll is simply losing his desire to keep investing in the sport because his 24-year-old son Lance has struggled to make an impact.
Journalist Ralf Bach said: "(Lance) Stroll's mother Claire-Anne is said to be putting pressure on his son to end his motorsport career after a few accidents this year."
F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks the stark contrast between Stroll's performance and that of his 42-year-old teammate Fernando Alonso could also be a reason for the sale rumours.
"Sebastian Vettel was no longer really motivated," he said. "He was already in the comfort zone and doing the bare minimum when he drove next to Stroll.
"But Alonso, like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, is one of the few great champions who don't need encouragement from teammates to always deliver their maximum performance.
"Lance Stroll is now feeling this," said Berger, "even though he's not a bad racing driver."
An unnamed F1 insider, meanwhile, thinks there is truth to the claim that Lawrence Stroll may be finally giving up on making his son a world champion.
"Father and son once came to our factory to look at it," he said. "I have never such an interested father and such a disinterested son."
It is possible that Lawrence, 64, has realised that a more competitive driver needs to be alongside Alonso for the team to take the next step.
A move from F1 to the world endurance championship and Le Mans for Lance might therefore make sense, especially as news has just broke that Aston Martin will enter the Adrian Newey-penned Valkyrie hypercar in the WEC from 2025.
When asked if he might be interested in racing at Le Mans again, this time at the wheel of an Aston Martin, Alonso told DAZN at Qatar: "Right now I don't have it in my head because I am concentrated on Formula 1.
"But it's good news for the team, for the brand, to be in all the important competitions and it shows a bit of Aston Martin's ambition also outside of F1," the Spaniard added.
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"Father and son once came to our factory to look at it," he said. "I have never such an interested father and such a disinterested son."
The 'insider' is not identified, but the comment says much.
after Q2, stroll threw him dummy out being interviewed , hes done with f1 id say
I have never before seen temper from Lance like he showed following Q1 elimination. Kind of a "Dad wants me to do this, but I'd rather be skiing with my girlfriend".
Probably wrong time of the month, we all get them, he, he.
Yeah, I noticed a dummy fly across the pit garage! Although the pit crew member exacerbated the situation with his gesture and the comment he made that we couldn't hear.
To be frank, Lance is just not up to the task. He probably would be happier doing something simpler and not as demanding. Daddy's quest to make Lance WDC was never going to come to fruition. He doesn't have the commitment! Lance is more a casual racer
Casual racers don't get super licenses
Stupid comment
You are obviously very naive!
Yours is the stupid comment!
Showing his entitled spoiled child side
Time to hang up his helmet and give someone who cares a chance at glory
Qater Grand Prix BEST RACE OF THE YEAR. From the Sprint, to the shootout, to the race - exciting, engaging, multiple cars, drivers, and strategies to watch. Learn from this race FIA.
Second point. We don't watch 1,000 horsepower cars with the areo of an F35 jet for sustainability, recycling, or conservation. They can do that at the factory and travel, and we can do it at home, but please don't compromise the racing or tire strategies.
Don't turn Formula 1 into Indy. Keep up the excellent work!
Qater Grand Prix BEST RACE OF THE YEAR. From the Sprint, to the shootout, to the race - exciting, engaging, multiple cars, drivers, and strategies to watch. Learn from this race FIA.
Second point. We don't watch 1,000 horsepower cars with the areo of an F35 jet for sustainability, recycling, or conservation. They can do that at the factory and travel, and we can do it at home, but please don't compromise the racing or tire strategies.
Don't turn Formula 1 into Indy. Keep up the excellent work!