"I feel Aston has really missed having a mid-engine programme, having that DNA in their racing, in their blood and now with the opportunity of returning to a works Formula One team for 2021 to be able to share technology from our Formula One team with our road car projects," he said.

"I think this is the final cherry on the cake that Aston Martin really needed to complete its range and come back to its roots of racing."

(Reporting by Costas Pitas, Editing by Paul Sandle)