Sixty years and several changes of ownership ago, Aston Martin dabbled its toes in Formula 1... and quickly withdrew them. And yet now its latest man at the helm is determined to bring Aston Martin back - not with a technology partnership or engine-badging deal, but as a manufacturer in its own right.
It helps that this individual is Lawrence Stroll, an incredibly successful entrepreneur who also happens to be head of the consortium which owns the Racing Point F1 team. And Stroll has confirmed that the team will be rebranded as Aston Martin from 2021 onwards, even though the factory has been in shutdown - apart from its involvement in the 'Project Pitlane' ventilator scheme - for the past two months.
Stroll increased his commitment even as the COVID-19 pandemic tipped the global economy towards recession. His Yew Tree Consortium took a 16.7% stake in Aston Martin in January, as part of a rescue package as underwhelming sales followed a troubled stock market flotation.