Lawrence Stroll has revealed how Sebastian Vettel joined Aston Martin, saying he bought into his vision and plans for the team.
Vettel joined Aston Martin at the beginning of the season. He is having a decent season, and he is set to drive for the team in 2022 as well. He is also good friends with Stroll, and the billionaire wants to build on it for his team.
The owner expressed that he wants Vettel to continue with Aston Martin for the remainder of his career, and even after he retires in a non-racing role.
Stroll also revealed how Vettel joined Aston Martin, and how he doesn’t want to lose his services at all.
“I think it was a perfect storm for both Sebastian and us (when his Ferrari departure was announced in 2020),” Stroll told Formula 1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
“Sebastian and I have known each other for a while. He understood very clearly my passion and plans for the team. When we became Aston Martin, it wasn’t transformative in name only, it was transformative in the direction and the plans of the business and the direction the business was going in.
“We were recruiting over 250 new people and it is not just the quantity but the quality and it is all about bringing Aston Martin back to winning World Championships.
“It is a journey and it is a journey that doesn’t take a day, a week or even a year, it is a journey that is going to take several years, and Sebastian wanted to be a part of that journey and be at the forefront of that journey.”
The long run
Stroll also detailed how having Vettel in his ranks would be a massive boost to his ambitions.
“Obviously, to have a four-time World Champion and the experience he can bring to the team, which has never won a World Championship, so the way to think and to act,” he continued.
“For Sebastian, it really was a beginning of a new journey, of this new team coming to life and he wanted to be part of it for the beginning and hopefully will remain forever in one way, shape or form.”