, Racing Point nearly made the team podium in one of their two F1 seasons. The team also made headlines for controversy during their Formula 1 run.
History of the team before Racing Point
The story of Racing Point actually began a few decades before the Racing Point name was ever used. It took a few name and ownership changes before the Racing Point name would actually be used. The team's origins could be found in the 1990s with a team known as Jordan Grand Prix.
In 2008, Jordan Grand Prix became Force India after being purchased by businessman, Vijay Mallya. Force India would compete for a decade until the team underwent another change in 2018.
Lawrence Stroll, a Canadian businessman whose son is an F1 driver, was in charge of a group that bought Force India. Briefly, the team was renamed Racing Point Force India. In 2019, the team's name was finally changed to Racing Point.
Racing Point competed in both the 2019 and 2020 Formula 1 seasons. For their first season, Racing Point was a team consisting of two drivers, Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll, son of Lawrence Stroll. Neither driver got a win throughout the season, but the team placed 7th overall in the World Constructors' Championship.
With the COVID pandemic looming, the 2020 Formula 1 season was abnormal, with fewer races on the schedule and a constant feeling of uncertainty. Racing Point added a third driver, Nico Hulkenberg, but they ran into obstacles when Stroll and Perez contracted COVID and missed time.
Despite this setback, though, Racing Point had a successful season overall. While they once again did not win any races, they did succeed in the overall team standings. Racing Point finished the season in 4th place, only losing out to some of the most iconic names in Formula 1.
The 2020 season would also be a season of controversy for Racing Point, as they were accused of copying the design of Mercedes' F1 car. Investigations revealed that the only part of the Racing Point design that violated the rules was the rear brake ducts. Outside of that, the car was cleared to compete.
What happened to the Racing Point team?
MORE:The Ultimate Classic Race Cars: Utah Edition
The Racing Point name did not survive past the 2020 season. However, this was not the result of any major collapse or other controversies. Instead, the name changed because of another business acquisition.
Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll made another noteworthy business purchase and became a stakeholder in Aston Martin. The Aston Martin name is much more well-known than Racing Point, so the team name changed.
Change your car insurance coverage and save money with Jerry
While the Racing Point name might not exist today, the team is still memorable for its competitive run in one of the most unusual seasons in racing history.
In Formula 1, teams are constantly changing. Just as a team name doesn't have to stay the same forever, you don't have to keep your old car insurance. Instead, you can explore cheaper options with
With Jerry, you can quickly see quotes compared from top insurance providers. Signing up only takes 45 seconds, and then you can see how much you can save on car insurance.