A sad start to the New Year at Newport Pagnell, spiritual home of those Aston Martin luxury sportscars so beloved of secret agents and British royals.

The long-time hope for a world-class AML museum bringing visitors to the town from hither and yon’ has finally been ditched by the Trust which pays to preserve the marque’s past glories.

Lawrence Stroll, a Canadian billionaire now driving the company’s Balance Sheet, has decided his best efforts – and those of his race-driving son – should be pivoted full force into Formula One and the dream has once more become infectious.

It’s a blow for little Newport Pagnell, whose days of glory may have finally passed their sell-by date, but maybe only an “outsider” could have risked turning the brand back to the future.

And well, let’s be honest, Silverstone is still not so far away.

Aston Martin the luxury sports car maker whose spiritual home is in Newport Pagnell, looks to be having a hard time of it again.

Reports in late November said profits were down the best part of 10% due mostly to a fall in demand from China.

It is the company's second profits warning in 2024 and its shares have virtually halved since the year started.

About 20% of Aston cars are sold in the Asia-Pacific region and the brand got an uplift after local author Richard Meredith became the first to drive the new Asian Highway from Tokyo to London (Driven Together, Mercury Books £19.99) in a V8 Vantage.

There has been better news on the racetrack however with F1 design guru Adrian Newey joining the Aston Team in the autumn and Lance Stroll - son of Team owner Lawrence - registering a podium finish at Monza in his first season.

Geely, China's largest privately-owned car-maker, owns about 17% of the stock.