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“Wonder what Sebastian Vettel has to say about this!”: Aston Martin announces a long term partnership with Saudi Arabian oil company Aramco

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"My love for racing is still there": Sebastian Vettel clears the air about his potential retirement from F1

Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel has been very critical of Saudi Arabia’s policy of ‘sportswashing’ to cover up for their human rights issues. 

Vettel is one of the most outspoken drivers in Formula 1 today. The four-time World Champion has raised concerns over several issues like climate change and LGBTQ+ rights over the last few years.

However, his more recent concerns have been about human rights issues in some countries. In particular, he admitted that he wasn’t comfortable with F1 working closely with countries like Saudi Arabia. Vettel went as far as questioning  how ‘clean’ the money F1 earns from these countries actually is.

“It’s wrong we go to certain places because if you had morals then you would just say no,” Vettel said.

Saudi Arabia hosted it’s first ever F1 race last year in Jeddah. In what was a monumental moment for motorsports in the middle-eastern country, the former Red Bull driver admitted that he wasn’t comfortable racing there.

Earlier this week, Aston Martin announced that they had signed a long term deal with Saudi oil giants Aramco. This may not sit well with Vettel as he has been critical about promoting the concept of ‘sportswashing’. And now, his own team has a title sponsor that belongs to a country that has been accused of violating human rights.

Also read: Watch Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher drift on the ice ahead of the 2022 Race of Champions

Aramco signs deal with Aston Martin months after rumors linked them to the Mercedes outfit

Last October, reports emerged that linked Aramco to the Mercedes F1 team. It was rumored that Petronas would end their 11 year partnership with Mercedes due to budget issues, and the Saudi company would replace them.

Petronas suffered massive losses after the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. As a result, they recorded millions of dollars in losses due to lower oil prices and more demand.

Aramco on the other hand have naming rights to 3 Grand Prixs and also work to support F1’s E-Sport division. Fans have however been criticizing their involvement in the sport for similar concerns as Vettel’s.

The deal between Mercedes and Aramco obviously didn’t go through and Petronas remains the Brackley based team’s main title sponsor.

Meanwhile on twitter, Aston Martin announced their partnership with the oil giants.

“Aston Martin and Aramco have today announced a long-term strategic partnership which will drive the development of efficient internal combustion engines, sustainable fuels, advanced lubricants and the deployment of non-metallic materials in vehicles,” the statement read.

    About the author

    Somin Bhattacharjee

    Somin Bhattacharjee

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    Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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