Aston Martin Lagonda has shocked the Formula 1 world by officially revealing that it is looking to sell the naming rights to its F1 team. The announcement has been accompanied by a bleak financial outlook, with the British luxury carmaker issuing a warning that the loss for the 2025-2026 fiscal year can be “much bigger” than what was expected.
Regardless of a heavy investment in the state, of, the, art Silverstone campus and the blockbuster signing for the design genius Adrian Newey, billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll seems to be going for a “naming rights” (like the Sauber, Audi or RB changes) model to get the money needed to keep the costs of being competitive in the 2026 “New Era” under control.
This issue brings up important points of the project’s long-term viability, just when the team is about to become the exclusive works partner for Honda.
Back to it. ➡️#F1Testing #AMR26 pic.twitter.com/O8SXQM3gGP
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) February 19, 2026
Why Selling F1 Branding Rights Is Lawrence Stroll’s Last Resort
The move to auction the “Aston Martin” name definitely goes against Lawrence Stroll’s initial plan from 2020, when he dreamed of making the British racing brand famous. Market experts think the huge cost of the 2026 engine change and Newey’s very high salary have made Stroll look for outside investment.
The team, by selling the naming rights, could very well become “Aramco Racing” or “Honda, Aramco F1, ” thus the Aston Martin automotive brand can still support the team technically, but won’t have to carry the multi-million dollar operational liabilities.
The team, however, maintain that it is a “strategic branding alignment, ” but the doubters at the Bahrain testing paddock say these are signs of financial overstretching, especially when the luxury car market is expected to go down in 2026.
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