Aston Martin F1 still focused on 2025 despite 2026 regulations and Newey arrival

Aston Martin made one of many greatest signings of the 2024 Method 1 season by touchdown fabled designer Adrian Newey – however he is not going to begin his function as managing technical companion till March, with a lot suggesting his affect on the group is not going to be actually felt till the regulation modifications of 2026. 

Nonetheless, for managing director Jefferson Slack, there isn’t a cause why Aston Martin ought to write off its 2025 aspirations regardless of a drop-off in efficiency over the earlier yr.

With two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso retained alongside Lance Stroll, the group would arguably be forgiven for turning its consideration in direction of 2026 and the primary true Newey-inspired Aston Martin. 

Talking after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Alonso stated that he was “able to go in 2025, with somewhat little bit of a reset on issues” and that “the automobile, I feel we realized a whole lot of issues…we have to apply into subsequent yr’s undertaking.” 

Slack is approaching subsequent season from an identical place and insists the group additionally owes it to its companions to take care of and enhance on-track efficiency. 

“We have got some new administration in now and I feel they’re attempting to be aggressive in 2025 – no one’s given up on ‘25 clearly,” he informed Autosport.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin AMR24

Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures

“The hires that we’ve, Adrian begins on March 1, and I’m not a technical man however he may have the most important affect on the automobile in ‘26 and naturally, everyone’s been taking part in that sport of when to surrender on the 2025 automobile and sit up for the large regulation modifications.

“Our technical employees should resolve that, however I can let you know we’re not giving up on 2025, we’re centered on being actually aggressive and in growing properly over the winter.

“Then in 2026, a whole lot of the puzzle can be in place with our staffing, Adrian embedded absolutely and in addition having our engine cope with Honda and our wind tunnel. 

“We welcomed a whole lot of new and thrilling companions in 2024 and, alongside Aramco and Cognizant, we will’t simply say ‘guys, let’s write off 2025 and we can be on the entrance in 2026 – it would not work like that.” 

PUMA, Glenfidditch, Xerox and Ma’aden all joined Aston Martin as new companions in direction of the top of the 2024 season. 

The vast majority of the group’s companions are American-based organisations and Slack believes the continued progress of F1 in the USA will proceed to see increasingly more companies from the nation look in direction of the collection. 

“It is an unimaginable line-up that Method 1 has put collectively.” he added. “I feel what we have seen is that the US firms that may have, 10, 15 years in the past, checked out Method 1 as solely a European advertising and marketing platform.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures

“Now it has develop into one of many singular world platforms. So in the event you’re an enormous firm immediately and also you wish to have a worldwide group from a advertising and marketing standpoint, you’ve gotten Champions League; a fantastic property, however nonetheless soccer, restricted time, night, all of the matches are solely performed in Europe. That is the problem.  

“Each 4 years you’ve gotten the World Cup, the best property there may be, however three or 4 weeks in the summertime each 4 years.

“So that’s the place Method 1 is absolutely doing a fantastic job, as a result of it is cracked the US market and in addition has a great foothold in Asia…and Europe is already embedded. You are an enormous firm, the place do you look? And that is why you’ve got seen a flood of latest enterprise alternatives.” 

Liberty Media was eager to lastly make F1 hit in America and has completed so with a mix of the Netflix collection Drive to Survive, in addition to three distinct races in Austin, Las Vegas and Miami – however Slack thinks the nation might nonetheless increase its presence on the F1 calendar. 

“I don’t suppose it is the restrict,” he stated. “The nation might maintain extra. It isn’t my space of experience and it is as much as Method 1 to determine the place they wish to go – however completely, I feel the US might maintain one other race or two.”