Aston Martin doubt Red Bull two-year Fallows threat

Szafnauer on the Monaco Pit Wall — Photo: © LAT Images

Austrian Grand Prix

Aston Martin doubt Red Bull two-year Fallows threat

Dan Fallows is joining Aston Martin as its new technical director

Sam Hall

Sunday 4 July 2021 10:30

Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer doubts Red Bull will follow through on its threat to make the team wait two years to land its new technical director.

At last weekend's Styrian Grand Prix, Red Bull announced Dan Fallows would be leaving the team to join Aston Martin.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner countered that Silverstone-based Aston Martin would need to wait for "a couple of years" before linking up with Fallows.

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Despite Horner's remark, Szafnauer told Sky Sports F1 ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix: "I doubt it will be two years.

"It will be something shorter than that but we will work through the timing to get him to come over as soon as he can. We will see when he turns up.

"He is still under contract with Red Bull. I don't know how much longer they are going to keep him working on this year's car, starting on next year's car."

Aston Martin lining up the announcements

Throughout its history, dating back to its days as Jordan, the team has often found ways to compete with its rivals that enjoy more significant budgets.

In transitioning from Racing Point to Aston Martin over the winter, the team now has the financial power to match its championship-winning ambitions.

Commenting on the recent announcement Andrew Alessi will also be joining the team from Red Bull, Szafnauer added: "There will be further announcements.

"We've made our first two and a few others in time we will announce. [With the new] factory, there is a new wind tunnel we have kicked off already, so we have big plans.

"It sometimes can't happen overnight. It does take time to recruit the right people, like-minded people to those that want to be on the journey to world champions and that is our objective to as soon as possible start fighting the big teams and beating them.

"We have a great bunch of people already but we are a small team compared to the others and the great bunch of people that we have, the racers within us, they are working on the '22 car already.

"So I anticipate we will have a competitive car in '22 and then once some of the other people that are going to join us arrive they will just add to what we are doing."