Aston Martin F1 a “Bit” Like Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel

Aston Martin will make their grand return to F1 after six decades. But, despite the prestige of the brand outside of F1, they will be operating on a tight and efficient budget. Thus, new driver Sebastian Vettel believes it is logical to compare them to a former team of his – Red Bull.

Since the team will be new on the grid, at least in terms of brand, they will be operating frenetically and with the energy of an upstart team looking to make a dent on the big boys. They should look to learn from Red Bull’s early days as a template for success.

Sebastian Vettel thinks Aston Martin is in a similar situation as early Red Bull

In an interview (translated via Google), the German spoke about the relative newness of Aston Martin. He said, “The whole thing is still a young project, but I believe that the omens are those that only help.

“The experiences that the team has had in recent years with this little I think it will only help us to manage our budget and work efficiently.”

He felt that a legitimate comparison can be made with his former team, Red Bull, at least initially. The 33-year-old said, “At Red Bull, the early days were also an extreme development phase. In 2008, 2009, Red Bull was not the same team as it is today in terms of size and so on.

“In that respect it is a bit comparable to the time at that time. We see it realistically and know that it is a new beginning for us.”

Aston Martin can combine experience with learnings from Milton Keynes

What Red Bull did very well was getting the right people in place. The team pulled off a coup of sorts when they hired the renowned aerodynamicist, Adrian Newey. This led to them dominating the Championship in the late 00s and early 10s. 

They were also backed by owner Dietrich Mateschitz very early on to get them up and running.

Now, Aston Martin haven’t done that, but they can call upon their experience of working within a tight budget. With the budget cap being introduced in F1 from 2021, they could use that experience to their advantage. 

This and the sizable support from owner Lawrence Stroll could hold them in good stead, not only in 2021 but from 2022. They’ve also brought in an experienced title winner in Vettel to help them get those required on-track performances.

If Aston Martin truly are comparable to Red Bull, then there is a chance, however low that might be, that we get to see Seb’s championship-winning form again.

So, do you think the German will be able to climb back up on the drivers’ standings?