Stroll wants Vettel to ‘stay forever’ at Aston Martin

Henry Valantine
Aston Martin driver and team owner Sebastian Vettel and Lawrence Stroll at the French Grand Prix. Paul Ricard June 2021.

Sebastian Vettel and Lawrence Stroll walking through the paddock at the French Grand Prix. Paul Ricard June 2021.

Lawrence Stroll has said he hopes Sebastian Vettel will keep his journey with Aston Martin going and “stay forever” with the team.

The four-time World Champion has confirmed he will continue with the team next season, and team owner Stroll has been vocal about how Aston Martin’s expansion of staff, new factory, new wind tunnel and hiring spree mean they are trying to put a structure into place to compete for wins and titles in the future – and the Canadian wants Vettel to be a big part of that rise to the top, even if it’s not in a driving capacity.

As a result, team principal Otmar Szafnauer hopes to open talks with the 53-time race winner over a new contract for 2023 earlier in the calendar than they managed this year.

Aside from a podium in Azerbaijan, Vettel and Aston Martin have very much been competing in Formula 1’s midfield this season and currently sit seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.

Stroll described how Vettel’s move came about but, most importantly, the Aston Martin owner does not want to lose his services moving forward.

Check out all the latest Sebastian Vettel/Aston Martin merchandise via the official Formula 1 store

“I think it was a perfect storm for both Sebastian and us [when his Ferrari departure was announced in 2020],” Stroll told Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.

“Sebastian and I have known each other for a while. He understood very clearly my passion and plans for the team.

“When we became Aston Martin, it wasn’t transformative in name only, it was transformative in the direction and the plans of the business and the direction the business was going in.

“We were recruiting over 250 new people and it is not just the quantity but the quality and it is all about bringing Aston Martin back to winning World Championships.

 

“It is a journey and it is a journey that doesn’t take a day, a week or even a year, it is a journey that is going to take several years and Sebastian wanted to be a part of that journey and be at the forefront of that journey.

“Obviously, to have a four-time World Champion and the experience he can bring to the team, which has never won a World Championship, so the way to think and to act.

“For Sebastian, it really was a beginning of a new journey, of this new team coming to life and he wanted to be part of it for the beginning and hopefully will remain forever in one way, shape or form.”

 

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