JANUARY 19, 2016

Aston Martin deal possible in future

Force India has confirmed reports that a touted deal with the British luxury carmaker Aston Martin has fallen through for now.

Talks with the Silverstone based team about a naming sponsorship deal obviously took place, but Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said just before Christmas: "We do not have the means to invest in F1."

Force India is now confirming that news, although chief operating officer Otmar Szafnauer is not ruling out a future deal with Aston Martin.

"It probably won't happen for 2016," he said, "but we're still talking.

"It's flattering for a company like Aston Martin to be talking to Force India - to want to partner with us and come into formula one - but the story isn't final there yet.

"So for 2016 I don't think that will happen, but for the future there are still possibilities," Szafnauer added.

(GMM)