British luxury supercar manufacturer Aston Martin says it will "probably" enter Formula 1 when the new engine is introduced in 2021, according to its CEO, Andy Palmer.
The British marque is already a sponsor of the Red Bull F1 team, but is contemplating a move into becoming an engine supplier and possibly a works team – which would likely see it takeover the Red Bull entry – but only when the costs have come down to a sensible level.
It's hoped the proposed 2021 engine will go some way to bringing costs under control and Palmer says he is now in a position to propose it to Aston Martin's board, though ultimately it would be their decision.
"It moves from probably I wouldn't propose it to the board, to probably I would," he told the BBC.
"It moves into the realms of possibility and I need to take it to the board, and it is an arrogant CEO that contemplates what a board decision will be.
"Obviously I am taking my board on a journey. We discuss it every quarter and I am warming them up to the possibility."
Palmer insists the sport needs to adapt though and he believes it is gradually happening under new owners Liberty Media.
"The sport is certainly not about the driver in the way it used to be," he added. "That would be my major point. [Are fans] being driven away by the engine?
"You can have the argument you don't have the engine sound you used to have, the unreliability of some of the engines, the grid penalties, which are really hard to understand.
"How do you get demoted 35 places on the grid which only has 20 cars on it? So there are some absurdities [that need addressing].
"Obviously there is a commercial reason for me doing it and a commercial reason for Red Bull doing it. But essentially our intentions align and it's fair to say we love the sport."
