Aston Martin group principal Mike Krack has conceded the shared use of Mercedes’ wind tunnel may very well be “an element” in his group being off the tempo this season, however insisted it was no excuse for the downfall.
Whereas the 2023 marketing campaign noticed Aston Martin declare seven podium finishes within the first 18 grands prix, the return this time period is zero. The group is mendacity fifth within the constructors’ standings with a finest end of fifth – this recorded on the second occasion of the 12 months in Saudi Arabia.
“I believe that may be too straightforward of an excuse,” stated Krack when requested concerning the compromises of sharing a wind tunnel. “Now we have one other group utilizing the identical wind tunnel with much less time. So this isn’t an excuse.”
Pressed as as to if it may very well be an element within the efficiency deficit, he added: “That is potential, however nonetheless, we’re fairly far behind that group. So it is possibly an element for them.
“It is possibly an element for us, however I believe with the identical software, we might do higher.”

Mercedes wind tunnel
Picture by: Mercedes AMG
The difficulty of a shared wind tunnel isn’t one that can have an effect on Aston Martin long-term, nevertheless, with the group’s state-of-the-art tunnel anticipated to come back on-line by 1 January, when aero testing is permitted to start on the 2026 vehicles.
Whereas a mix of the brand new wind tunnel and key technical hires, together with that of Adrian Newey from Purple Bull, is hoped to show Aston Martin right into a frontrunning group, Krack doubled down in his refusal to wholly blame the group’s present scenario for its kind.
“In case you are a group within the constructing course of, it is not solely to place the wind tunnel there but in addition to have the know-how and the methodology and the way in which you go about testing,” he defined. “The identical is [true] for simulation.
“We have been a buyer group for a few years and you need to construct all this stuff in parallel, but when that’s the alternative you make, you shouldn’t use it as an excuse afterwards.
“You’ve got that half [the wind tunnel] that must be developed, however you even have a automotive to be developed and you have to not use one to excuse the opposite.”