4-time world champion Sebastian Vettel will continue at Aston Martin for a second season in 2022 alongside his Canadian teammate Lance Stroll.
Vettel had a contractual option to take up to continue with the team and he has decided to race on in Formula 1 with them. The German said he was "really looking forward" to the new style of car that will be introduced next year. "Every team will be starting from a new beginning, so it will be a great opportunity for us," Vettel said. But Vettel says he’s eagerly anticipating the chance to drive the new-for-2022 cars and build on a promising first season with Aston Martin, which has so far peaked with second place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He also finished second-on-the-road in Hungary only to be disqualified for there being insufficient fuel left in the car to cover the mandatory 1-litre sample.
“I am really looking forward to racing the new generation of Formula 1 cars,” said Vettel. “Their look is very different and the new technical regulations should give us cars that can race much more closely than recently. More exciting racing will be great for the drivers as well as for the fans. The changes are so big that every team will be starting from a new beginning, so it will be a great opportunity for us. I believe in the strength of our new growing team, so I am already looking forward to 2022.”
Team principal Otmar Szafnauer underlined the strength of the driver line-up that offers the youth of 22-year-old Stroll and 34-year-old Vettel’s prodigious experience. “The first ever season for Aston Martin F1 team got off to a disappointing start, owing to the regulatory changes over the winter that disadvantaged the two teams whose cars utilise a low-rake aero philosophy,” said Szafnauer. “But we have made good progress over the past few months, and both Lance and Sebastian have delivered some excellent performances. They have had more than their fair share of bad luck, but in 2022 we are delighted to be continuing with such an excellent blend of youthful talent and experienced expertise.”
The team’s executive chairman, Lawrence Stroll described Vettel as a “massive asset” to the team, as well as talking up son Lance as one of the “most gifted” in F1. “Lance is one of the most gifted drivers in modern F1, and to that raw talent he is now adding serious racecraft,” said Stroll. "A four-time world champion, having driven 271 grands prix, of which he has won 53, Sebastian is also a massive asset to our team, and next year we expect both of them to race well in what will be a very different formula from the current one. We never under-estimate our opposition, so we do not intend to over-promise, but we know that Lance and Sebastian will get the very best from the tools we will put at their disposal.”
While Lance Stroll has scored fewer points than Vettel, with a return of 24 points to his team-mate’s 35, he has been more consistently in the points with seven top 10 finishes. He produced his best result of the season with a well-executed drive to seventh place in the recent Italian Grand Prix. “Next season I will be embarking on my sixth year in Formula 1, alongside my team-mate Sebastian,” said Stroll. We started this campaign together and I greatly look forward to continuing the journey with him next year. We have not achieved what we set out to do this year, but that has only amplified our hunger and drive for success next season. Now, with the prestige and support of Aston Martin, and the brilliant new sponsor-partners that such a prestigious brand has attracted, we are well positioned to improve our performance in 2022.”