Aston Martin F1 2021- story of Aston Martin Racing

On the surface the Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition might appear to be little more than an extreme and expensive new version of a car we already know and mostly love, with improved performance, steering and handling, and tweaks to the interior that make it feel more special than before. But in reality it is a sign of things to come under the new regime at Aston Martin, and it’s a good sign. In places, a great sign, in fact. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

Not too long ago some seismic changes took place at Aston Martin. The brand re-entered Formula One as a manufacturer in its own right, having not been in the sport since 1960, and it appointed a new boss, Tobias Moers, who had previously been in charge at Mercedes-AMG.

So it made sense to launch a new version of an existing road car to celebrate these two significant events, and the £142,000 Vantage F1 Edition is it.

Quite some car it is, too, and not merely because it’s one of the new pace cars at grands prix. Along with a new range of paints, the Vantage F1 has been modified to make it sharper, quicker and more focused than the V8 Vantage on which it’s based.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and eight-speed ZF auto gearbox have been tweaked digitally to give the F1 yet more intent. Power rises from 503bhp to 528bhp, although torque stays the same at 685Nm.

As a result, the 0-62mph time drops to 3.6 seconds, while the top speed climbs to 195mph, or 190mph if you opt for the Roadster, and it accelerates with all of the menace and V8 theatre the Vantage always has. The engine was never an issue.