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By Alex Harrington
Sports Contributing Writer
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Aston Martin will no longer supply Formula 1’s safety car or medical car from the 2026 season, ending a five-year history in an operational role that ran alongside its return to the championship as a works team.
The British manufacturer has been working alongside Mercedes to provide both safety and medical cars to the championship since 2021. During that period, Aston Martin utilized its Vantage sports car and the DBX707 SUV as its safety and medical cars, with it rotating these responsibilities with the German marque across the calendar.
While this has likely been successful for Aston Martin, with millions of eyes watching as its cars tore across the best circuits in the world, the demands of the series could have been too much for the brand. According to the company's release, the deal "concluded at the end of the 2025 season".
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"Having amplified the brand’s return to F1, we are grateful for the association and success of holding this critical role on the grid for the past five years," a statement from the British brand read.
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The end of Aston Martin's involvement with F1 doesn't come from a lack of effort. The outfit was continuously supplying upgrades to its Vantage after the original was publicly slammed by four-time champion Max Verstappen, even releasing the beautiful Formula 1 edition which would see the car's output increase to 527 bhp and 505 lb-ft torque thanks to a 4.0-liter twin-turbo engine supplied by Mercedes. Along with the increase in power, it boasted a number of aerodynamic additions, too.
The Mercedes AMG GT Black Series used by the German manufacturer created 720 horsepower and 590 lb-ft torque in comparison, with a 0-60mph time of just 3.1 seconds. While it's faster than the Aston, the brand's departure from the sport was unlikely down to a lack of performance.
Mercedes will be the only provider of safety and medical cars from this season - a task it's had since 1996. The AMG GT Black Series will be the machinery of choice with a CrowdStrike livery.
Aston Martin will remain in the championship as a team despite this news, with the 2026 regulation changes expected to benefit the team now it's being guided by legendary designer Adrian Newey.
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