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Whitmarsh returns to F1 with Aston Martin

NEWS STORY
21/09/2021

Former McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh has been recruited to the new role of Group Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin Performance Technologies.

Aston Martin Performance Technologies will encompass the brand's Formula One activities and will also develop, apply and take to market the Group's technical capabilities and intellectual property, with the aim of providing best-in-class innovation, engineering, testing and manufacturing services across a variety of key industry sectors.

Whitmarsh is best known to motorsport insiders, media and fans for his long and successful period at McLaren, for which he worked for 25 years (1989-2014) in various senior positions including team principal for six years (2008-2014). Under his leadership McLaren diversified its business activities beyond its core activity of Formula One, launching McLaren Automotive and McLaren Applied Technologies.

Whitmarsh played a senior and leading role in the winning of more than 100 Formula One Grands Prix and multiple Formula One World Championships, and was at the centre of the development of several Formula One World Champions, including Lewis Hamilton. Whitmarsh was also Chairman of the Formula One Teams' Association for four years (2009-2013).

"I am very pleased to announce that Martin will be joining us as Group Chief Executive Officer of the new Aston Martin Performance Technologies, from October 1st," said Lawrence Stroll, Executive Chairman, Aston Martin Lagonda and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team.

"Martin will enjoy senior leadership responsibility and will assist and support me in setting the new strategic direction for Aston Martin Performance Technologies and its subsidiaries, including the crucial objective of leading the transformation of Aston Martin into a Formula One World Championship-winning organisation within the next four to five years, and evolving it into a £1 billion business over a similar time period.

"Martin has enjoyed a long, successful and high-profile career, spanning the motorsport, automotive, aerospace, marine and renewable-energy sectors. Moreover, he is a proven winner in Formula One. He is therefore the ideal person for the job of working with me and our senior management team to lead and inspire our workforce to future success both on and off track."

"I am delighted to have been appointed by Lawrence to the position of Group Chief Executive Officer," said Whitmarsh. "I have known and admired Lawrence for many years, and I have always been extremely impressed by his formidable business acumen and his seemingly inexhaustible ambition. Equally, I have always respected ‘Team Silverstone', if I can call it that, which has often punched above its weight under its various previous incarnations, and which now has the weight with which to punch harder than ever before.

"Lawrence intends Aston Martin to win Formula One World Championships, plain and simple, and I would not have joined him in that endeavour unless I was utterly convinced that it was an entirely achievable aim. I know what it takes to win in Formula One, and, inspired by Lawrence's leadership and backed by the skill, passion and resolve of the workforce, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure that our team becomes the winning operation that Lawrence is determined that it should be.

"Last but far from least, I am very enthused about the formation of the new Aston Martin Performance Technologies, under which corporate umbrella Formula One Team will sit, and I am excited about the prospect of developing and applying our technical capabilities and intellectual property as a successful and profitable new business."

"Martin is an experienced and capable business leader, extremely successful for McLaren in Formula One, and I am very much looking forward to working with him," said Otmar Szafnauer.

"His role will be a new one, to establish and lead an exciting new brand extension: Aston Martin Performance Technologies. It will also encompass Formula One.

"Our ambitions are to win in everything we do, and, despite the increasing scope and future growth of our off-track activities, our focus on winning in Formula One remains undiminished. Martin's arrival will allow me to put 100 per cent of my energies into making Aston Martin a winning machine."

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READERS COMMENTS

 

1. Posted by Max Noble, 23/09/2021 1:44

"@BrightonCorgi - quite. The Toyota adventure had a sad ending… Hopefully one AML avoids…!"

Rating: Neutral (0)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 22/09/2021 16:33

"I remember Toyota going all in... I hope AMF1 is not going to end up the same."

Rating: Positive (1)     Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Max Noble, 22/09/2021 8:55

"@BrightonCorgi - Agree Stroll is not “playing not to lose” - he is going “All in for the win.” To be applauded and encouraged! It is set to be a fascinating five years as we see how this plays out. The road cars (while now bring Germans in English tailored suits… cough…) are fantastic. And the team, refer first my articles on the subject of the cost cap, and Aston, refer their press releases, are clearly employing just the finance Wizards I recommend that th eFIA cannot afford to ensure it is all “Above Board”… And don’t get me started on how Red Bull will ensure customer engines which others have to pay for obfuscate cost bases like no tomorrow. Genius move of theirs… and “Honda still involved” Next season should be a ripper!

Sorry… back on topic… Aston have a plan… and so far so good… "

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4. Posted by BrightonCorgi, 21/09/2021 17:43

"This is so big time! Great to see him back. Can AMF1 get Ron Dennis while at it?

Stroll is really lining up AML with everything needed to succeed in auto sales and F1."

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5. Posted by Apexing, 21/09/2021 15:34

"Wow...Stroll the Elder isn't afraid to toss a little coin around. He's putting together a decent team there..."

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 21/09/2021 15:31

"Great to see Martin join AM and have his presence once again in F1, just excellent."

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