Billionaire Formula 1 team owner Lawrence Stroll thinks he "should be knighted" for his role in transforming Aston Martin's fortunes on and off the track.
The team was placed into administration in 2018, when it was named Force India. Its assets were then bought by a consortium led by Canadian businessman Stroll, who rebranded it as Racing Point the following year.
After a slow start the team became more competitive and Sergio Perez won the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. Team-mate Lance Stroll, the owner's son, also finished third and continues to represent the team today.
It was rebranded as Aston Martin for the 2021 season after Stroll bought a nine-figure stake in the British carmaker. Millions more have been invested since, at first with little impact on the team's fortunes – until this year.
With double champion Fernando Alonso partnering the younger Stroll, the team is flying high third in the constructors' standings. Their rapid rise comes courtesy of several factors, not least an aggressive recruitment drive of top engineers and designers from across the F1 paddock.
Huge investments have been made off the track, too. The team's Silverstone HQ is in the midst of a top-to-bottom revamp including new offices and wind tunnel, giving those newly-recruited minds state-of-the-art facilities in which to work.
The F1 team's success has also boosted the car brand, of which Stroll is executive chairman. Its stock price has risen significantly in recent times and the Canadian believes he should be given more recognition for the investment he has made into one of Britain's most iconic brands.
"I should be knighted for what I've done," he told reporters, per Autocar. "I've saved thousands of jobs and built a new Formula 1 factory with hundreds of millions of investment.
"The investment is staggering... a huge show of my belief in the company. One doesn't put that money into a business they don't believe in the future of."
Stroll has never tried to hide his bullish ambition and belief that he can achieve anything if he invests enough effort and cash into it. And he expects the same result in his bid to fully restore Aston Martin to its former glory, simply adding: "In my other businesses, I've won."
