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Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer, has made it clear that the company has interest in starting a Formula 1 program if the price is right. Serving as a title sponsor to Red Bull in 2018, Aston has also been weighing the option of F1 engine development for 2021 when the next regulation cycle comes around. Now, strengthening the argument for the British automaker’s next possible motorsport venture is the news that it has hired Luca Marmorini, ex-Ferrari F1 engine chief, as a part-time consultant.
Marmorini adds to the fellow former Maranello personnel most recently added by Aston, all of which Palmer claimed to give the brand “the brainpower to be able to develop a Formula 1 engine” according to an interview with Motorsport.com. The manufacturer also has prior experience with Cosworth and Ricciardo, two companies which offer their own expertise within the F1 circle. One would be led to believe that this means Aston Martin is particularly serious about this new startup.
The luxury carmaker, who also has a large hand in endurance racing, told Motorsport that it has hired on Marmorini, who served two stints at Ferrari from 1990-1999 and 2009-2014, for a part-time role rather than a full-blown administrative position.
“Luca Marmorini is helping us on a consultancy basis as we continue to evaluate options for the 2021 power unit,” an Aston Martin spokesperson said. “We have not hired anyone to work full time on this and the power unit remains an area of study for the company, consistent with previous comments and our attendance at the Formula 1 Power Unit Working Group meetings.”
Aston Martin’s existing relationship with Red Bull could be an avenue for a partnership in the future as well. Team chief Christian Horner already stated that the racing outfit would be “absolutely open” to collaborating with Palmer’s bunch, and as Red Bull’s back-and-forth engine supply lurks, it could be looking for a change come 2021.
