Racing Point Formula 1 chief Otmar Szafnauer says t𝔍he team has no plans to sign a new driver when it transitions into the Aston Martin works squad in 2021. 

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel has been linked with a potential move to the rebranded team when hi🌺s c🎶urrent contract expires at Ferrari at the end of the year, with uncertainty remaining over the German's future in the sport.

But with Sergio Perez contracted to the Silverstone-based outfit until the end of 2022, and Lance Stroll's seat also believed to be secure for the coming years given his father owns the team, Szafnauer stressed there will be no "headline" moves aside from a tꦇeam name change. 

"It’s certainly been an interesting few week🐈s in the driver market, with some headline-gra💦bbing moves out there," Szafnauer said. 

"I’m sure it’s kept the fans entertaine⭕d and the media busy – but from our perspective, the headline for next season is the name above the factory doors ratheℱr than the names in the cockpit."

F1 confirmed the heavily-delayed 2020 season will begin with the Au𝓰strian Grand Pꦜrix on July 5, kicking off a run of eight European-based races in the space of just 10 weeks. 

There will be just two weekends without a grand prix between July 5 and September 6, but Szafnauer b🍸elieves teams are up for the challenge of a hectic and de🐼manding schedule. 

"It’s g🌺oing to be an intense few months ꩵfor us all,” Szafnauer explained.

“But a great deal of thought has gone int🍒o this calendar from all relevant stakeholders – including the teams, Formula 1, the FIA, the circuit owners and 𒊎so on.

“We’re all in agreement that the proposed plan is manageable and♈, knowing what I know of our team, they’ll relish the challenge.

“At the end of the day, we’re all racers. This is our p൲assion and we’re excited to get back to it.

“I applaud the work 🌠that has been done by all stakeholders over the past three months to get us back racing,” he added.

“Safety is paramount and we’re all treating our return to the racetrack responsibly. While clearly it won’t be the same without the fans in the grandstands – and we’ll sorely miss𒀰 their enthusiasm and support – it’s entirely sensible to start the season behind closed doors.

“Doing s🙈o in Austria is particularly positive for us as a team given our ties to the country with BWT, so we’re very much looking forwar💫d to it.”