Red Bull Advanced Technologies has ensured that the Stroll investment into the Aston Martin Lagonda firm will not affect the development of the Valkyrie hypercar, which it was developing with the current Red Bull Racing title sponsor.
Aston Martin announced on Friday that Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, owner of the Racing Point Formula One outfit, has invested in the British firm, rebranding Racing Point into Aston Martin F1 Team for 2021.
The investment means the end of the partnership between the Gaydon marque and Red Bull Racing, with which it had been developing the Valkyrie hypercar destined for competition in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s new Hypercar category.
“Following the Aston Martin Lagonda announcement earlier today, the Team can confirm that the manufacturer will remain title partner until the end of the 2020 season but this contract will not be extended past the end of the current term,” Red Bull Racing wrote in a statement.
“Red Bull Racing has agreed to release Aston Martin from its Formula One exclusivity clause which in turn has allowed it to generate the necessary investment required to re-finance and pursue alternative opportunities within the sport.”
The Valkyrie has been developed in conjuction between Aston Martin, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and AF Racing and was designed by Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Developer.
In a separate statement, Red Bull Advanced Technologies wrote that the end of Aston Martin’s title partnership will not affect the joint development of the Valkyrie project.
“Following the announcement that Aston Martin’s Title Partnership with Red Bull Racing will conclude at the end of the 2020 Formula One season, Red Bull Advanced Technologies will continue to work with Aston Martin on the Valkyrie project,” it wrote.
“Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Aston Martin entered into an Innovation Partnership in 2016 to design the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar, which completed its first running demonstration at last year’s British Grand Prix.
The development of the two-seater mid-engine Valkyrie remains a key project for Red Bull Advanced Technologies, with the first batch of the 150 road-going cars due to be delivered to customers at the end of the year.”
