Rumors have been circulating for some time that the Saudi oil company Aramco wants to take over Aston Martin from Lawrence Stroll and according to Formu1a.uno they have big plans for it.
In November, Lawrence Stroll sold a minority stake in the Aston Martin F1 team to the American Arctos Partners, according to some, a sign that the Canadian wants to sell the team. There is also the fact that Aramco has been strongly linked to Formula 1 since 2020, an uncertain time during the pandemic, and there were already rumors that they wanted to take over F1 from Liberty Media at the time.
It never got to that point because the sport has tripled in value since then. The Saudis did commit themselves to Aston Martin as main sponsor and in this way they have a foot in the door in Formula 1 in the longer term.
The collaboration goes beyond just gaining brand awareness for Aramco, they are also a technological partner. This could be crucial with a view to 2026, when 100% sustainable fuels will be mandatory.
Aramco is not just any company, it is controlled by the state and linked to a fund that aims to promote the country through major acquisitions. The Saudi Arabian GP was the ideal opportunity to approach some big fish. Aramco is reportedly going with blank checks, as Formula 1’s budget ceiling excludes the salaries of the three highest-ranking people in the team, and of course also those of the drivers.
Since there are currently rumblings behind the scenes at Red Bull, it will not surprise you that the names of Max Verstappen and star designer Adrian Newey are circulating in the corridors.
From 2026, Aston Martin will also benefit from Honda’s support. This gives them the backing of a manufacturer, a fundamental ingredient for winning in F1. From the perspective of Max Verstappen’s team, Honda’s presence can only be positive.
As long as the unrest continues at Red Bull, there is an opportunity for the competition to try to convince Max Verstappen or Adrian Newey. If Aramco were to take over the team, Aston Martin in combination with Honda would already be a team to be reckoned with in 2026.