Winless F1 team boss plans to invest £783m to rival Red Bull and McLaren

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Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari form the distinct ‘top four’ in Formula 1 at the moment. And each of them are well-established frontrunners.

The Bulls came into the year as defending champions after a record-breaking 2023 season. They won their sixth constructors’ championship since 2010 thanks to Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

McLaren, meanwhile, have finally completed their long-term ascent back to the front of the F1 grid. Their haul of two race wins this year is their best since 2012.

The Woking outfit are up there with Ferrari as one of F1’s most successful teams. The Scuderia haven’t won either title since 2008 but score regular podiums virtually every year.

Mercedes only rejoined F1 in 2010 but established themselves as a dominant force from 2014 until 2021. While they haven’t been especially successful in the ground effect era, their level of resources means they can never be discounted.

There have been 1,522 points up for grabs this season, and the aforementioned teams have hoovered up 1,384 of them. That works out as 90.9%, underlining just how difficult it is for those in the midfield to bridge the gap.

Lawrence Stroll plans huge Aston Martin spending spree

The good news for ambitious midfield teams is that regulation changes are on the horizon. While the reshuffling effect of such resets is perhaps overstated at times, they do at least present an opportunity to make a significant step forward.

Aston Martin will be one team hoping to capitalise on the 2026 overhaul. With fundamental changes to both the power units and aerodynamics, it’s one of the biggest in recent F1 history.

Aston have already secured an exclusive Honda engine deal and tied two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to a new contract. According to former F1 driver Robert Doornbos, writing on his LinkedIn page, this is part of owner Lawrence Stroll’s efforts to compete for the title ‘in the next two’ years.

Canadian businessman Stroll is pouring £783m into the project and even targeting world champion Max Verstappen. Verstappen can leave Red Bull at the end of 2025 under an exit clause in his contract.

“Led by Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin has been aggressively pushing to become title contenders within five years,” Doornbos wrote. “Now in their third year, they must make significant strides in the next two.

“Their exclusive engine deal with Honda in 2026 positions them as a factory team, and Stroll is investing a billion dollars to achieve his championship dream. With two-time champion Fernando Alonso already on board and advances made to Max Verstappen, they’re aiming for the best of the best.”

Damon Hill shares verdict as Adrian Newey nears Aston Martin move

Stroll recognises that an engine deal and a star driver signing or two won’t be enough to win championships. He needs the backroom personnel to build a worthy car too.

To that end, he’s already recruited former Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell, one of the architects of their dominance, and Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile. Perhaps most significantly of all, Adrian Newey has also agreed to join Aston Martin.

Damon Hill believes Aston have ‘unfulfilled potential’, and thinks Newey can help them realise it. The designer has been part of 25 title-winning efforts during his legendary career.

Aston have competed in 83 races across their two spells in F1, the first of which began in 1959. They haven’t managed to win any of those, though they have scored nine podiums.