Aston Martin reveal remarkable workforce plan to become F1 powerhouse

Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer has indicated the team is set to boost its staff numbers by 50% in its bid to become an F1 giant.

The Silverstone-based team completed a rebranding exercise over the winter as it morphed from Racing Point into Aston Martin, with the name change leading to an increase in funding and resources.

The team, which sits fifth in the constructors' standings following a difficult start to the new season, is also due to open its new factory in August 2022.

With the recruitment drive in full swing as Aston Martin seeks to take on Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren, Szafnauer said: "We've added significantly [to] the number of people that we had when we were Force India [then 400].

"The new factory is on track, we've started building already and it's a big, big programme to recruit even further.

"We're at about 535 people now. We'll probably get to the region of 800 or whatever the right size is under the cost cap.

"We're strategically working on that now and are trying to recruit like-minded individuals that want to come work for Aston Martin and go racing at the highest level.

"So the recruitment process is going well."

Aston Martin won't sacrifice 2021

F1 is set to run under radically different aerodynamic regulations next year, and with a budget cap in force for the first time this year, the focus is on when teams will stop development on the current cars.

After a season-long battle with McLaren for third last year, Aston Martin has slipped back dramatically this year.

Although fifth appears to be the best-case scenario, Szafnauer confirmed the team is still developing its 2021 machinery.

"There is a bigger gap to the teams in front than the teams behind," added Szafnauer.

"We've got to do a good job for the rest of the season; bring some more upgrades, understand the car better, get the drivers even more comfortable and fight as hard as we can to finish as high as possible in the midfield.

"It won't be easy even for fifth but we will do the best we can."

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