Force India deal with Aston Martin on hold - Omar Szafnauer admits talks with the car manufacturer have cooled
Published by Christine
Late last year, Force India chief Otmar Szafnauer talked of a deal between the team and manufacturer Aston Martin, with the cars due to be rebranded and the AM name returning to Formula One for the first time in decades.
Now it sounds as if the deal has taken a back seat, with Szafnauer updating us on the situation, saying: “We’re still talking. They have a lot of initiatives and they’re changing their line up of cars… you never know when they’ll choose Formula One as a marketing tool.” He admits it’s not likely for 2016 but doesn’t rule out the possibility completely, adding: “The use of F1 for them was going to be many fold, and perhaps the timing of a future year is better for those objectives.”
Meanwhile, Force India have admitted they’re not focusing on this year, with deputy team principal Bob Fernley saying: “It’s about consolidation for 2016 and giving ourselves, as an independent team, the best platform to be able to produce a competitive 2017 car.” He even mentions “minimum effort” this year, which isn’t really a good start to the season.
