Aston Martin reveals u-turn on missing 'championship-winning' factor

Aston Martin

Aston Martin reveals u-turn on missing 'championship-winning' factor

Could the team become an F1 powerhouse in the future?

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Thursday 22 July 2021 10:29

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has revealed why the team made a u-turn and decided to invest in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel.

The new facility will see the team expand its Silverstone base in its quest to join F1's powerhouses as Stroll looks to continue to develop the once underdog team from its former Force India-Racing Point guise.

Chief technical officer Andrew Green had previously hinted at a wind tunnel being a waste of time and resource for the team, and that it would continue to use the one owned by Mercedes.

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But asked about the u-turn and why the team had changed course, Stroll explained: "Because Andy changed his mind.

"Bottom line, he came back to me and said 'Look, I realised there is upside potential on the times and availability we currently have using Mercedes to having the luxury, if I could use that word, of having our own'.

"He said, 'If you really want to be world champions, it’s a tool we’re going to need'. So you’re right. He changed his tone.

"Cost me a little bit of money, that change of tone, too," he joked. "I was happy with his first concept."

Aston Martin "pleasantly surprised" by influx of staff

Aston Martin has stepped up its recruitment drive in recent times, adding crucial technical staff including Dan Fallows from Red Bull and Luca Furbatto from Alfa Romeo.

Asked how impressed he was with the quality of staff being recruited, Stroll replied: "I'm very impressed. I'd say half-expected, half pleasantly surprised.

"It's meeting with myself, Otmar [Szafnauer, team principal], Andy, Tom [McCullough, performance director] and listening to our vision and understanding the journey when we map it out for the prospective candidates.

"Hopefully, then, the 70 to 80 per cent we've spoken to have chosen to believe in our path and our journey and that we are going to succeed in getting there.

"So I'm very pleasantly surprised."