251 replies to this topic

[Joseki]

First big announcement of the year so new thread:

 

https://www.astonmar...nal-restructure

 

Andy Cowell is now the Team Principal. He will continue to also be the CEO. (Like Horner at RB and Toto at Merc)

Mike Krack will become Chief Trackside Officer.

Enrico Cardile is the new Chief Technical Officer.

Tom McCullough has been moved in a senior position in the AM Group but he's no longer directly involved with the F1 team.

 

[sladealonso]

Personally, I'm all for this. In my eyes Krack has run his course, while still being a very competent leader. Cowell seems like a tremendous fit to lead the team forward given all the praise he received from his Mercedes stint.

[pacificquay]

We will see how long Krack stays.

 

Regardless of his suitability for the new role, demotions tend to prick the ego and are rarely sustainable.

[DW46]

What’s Neweys role, is he more or less senior than Cowell?

[pacificquay]

Cowell is in overall charge, Newey of everything technical.

[DW46]

Cowell is in overall charge, Newey of everything technical.

Alonso, Newey, Cardile, Bell and Cowell is a formidable lineup.

[KWSN - DSM]

Alonso, Newey, Cardile, Bell and Cowell is a formidable lineup.

 

Yet I expect a mirror season of 2024 coming up.

[kosmos]

Surprised with Crack staying in the team.

[Joseki]

What’s Neweys role, is he more or less senior than Cowell?

 

Managing Technical Partner is the official title.

Considering that's he's a co-owner to Stroll I'd say he's the most senior in the technical team.

 

 

 

Also I find it a bit funny how the team told the media that Cowell's first months would be dedicated to finding weak spots in the structure and evidently he come to the realization that he should be Team Principal.

Edited by Joseki, 10 January 2025 - 16:41.

[RedRabbit]

Managing Technical Partner is the official title.
Considering that's he's a co-owner to Stroll I'd say he's the most senior in the technical team.



Also I find it a bit funny how the team told the media that Cowell's first months would be dedicated to finding weak spots in the structure and evidently he come to the realization that he should be Team Principal.

Andy Cowell is one helluva manager though. With F1 experience at the engine department of the most dominant Power Unit we have ever seen.

Mike Krack has zero track record in F1 and it's showing.

[PitViperRacing]

Andy Cowell is one helluva manager though. With F1 experience at the engine department of the most dominant Power Unit we have ever seen.

Mike Krack has zero track record in F1 and it's showing.

Tbf Horner had zero track record at f1 and that worked out pretty well

[KWSN - DSM]

Mike Krack have been working on and off in F1 since 2001, zero is a little of the mark.

[JL14]

Cowell speaking shortly after his arrival at Aston Martin last year, offering an interesting insight into how he thinks organisations should work:

 

"It makes me grumpy if there's overlap of responsibility. It makes me grumpier still if there's a gap and a lack of communication.
How do we get 900 people to work efficiently so it's like one brain? Writing reports and having meetings...I'm not too keen on that sort of thing.
My job is to create a team, and in a team everybody knows what their role is. They know their position on the pitch. My job is to discuss with each of those players what they could do to get better, not tell them. It's just to instil a high-performing atmosphere of doing something, learning from that experience and thinking of new ideas."

[IrvTheSwerve]

Not sure how Mike Krack is going to do this year, depends on how many curries I have.

 

What a ridiculous name.

[AustinF1]

S'up, y'all? A belated Happy New Year to you all!

 

 

Cowell speaking shortly after his arrival at Aston Martin last year, offering an interesting insight into how he thinks organisations should work:

 

"It makes me grumpy if there's overlap of responsibility. It makes me grumpier still if there's a gap and a lack of communication.
How do we get 900 people to work efficiently so it's like one brain? Writing reports and having meetings...I'm not too keen on that sort of thing.
My job is to create a team, and in a team everybody knows what their role is. They know their position on the pitch. My job is to discuss with each of those players what they could do to get better, not tell them. It's just to instil a high-performing atmosphere of doing something, learning from that experience and thinking of new ideas."

 

Mr. Cowell seems like my kinda guy. Suscribed.

[RedRabbit]

Mike Krack have been working on and off in F1 since 2001, zero is a little of the mark.

Successful or high profile engineers have been well known to the public and forum members for well over 20 years now and nobody had really heard of Mike Krack before his position at Aston Martin as TP.

[RedRabbit]

Tbf Horner had zero track record at f1 and that worked out pretty well

Took 5 years, a change in regulations that cut off Ferrari's most potent asset at the time (unlimited testing at Fiorano) and Adrian Newey.

Granted, Jean Todt is another successful TP without prior F1 experience.

[KWSN - DSM]

Successful or high profile engineers have been well known to the public and forum members for well over 20 years now and nobody had really heard of Mike Krack before his position at Aston Martin as TP.

 

That may be, comment was that he had not done F1, which factually is not correct.

[KWSN - DSM]

Until you gain experience, you do not have experience.

[pup]

Cowell speaking shortly after his arrival at Aston Martin last year, offering an interesting insight into how he thinks organisations should work:

 

"It makes me grumpy if there's overlap of responsibility....

 

Meanwhile, Mr. Newey's job description will be 'responsible for anything he damn well wants to stick his finger into.'

[revmeister]

Meanwhile, Mr. Newey's job description will be 'responsible for anything he damn well wants to stick his finger into.'

Those two should get along very well. Newey the visionary, and Cowell the one who turns the inspiration into actuality. Honda, on the other hand, may have misgivings about Cowell being anywhere near their engines... Have to think that his role in the Mercedes engine program would make them wonder about Aston developing their own engines sooner than later.

[FirstnameLastname]

Not sure how Mike Krack is going to do this year, depends on how many curries I have.

What a ridiculous name.

Doesn’t get the mirth it deserves. His parents knew what they were doing

[f1rules]

I dont think it will take long until that changes

 

Surprised with Crack staying in the team.

[JimmyClark]

Doesn’t get the mirth it deserves. His parents knew what they were doing

It's probably a very boring name with no other meanings in Luxembourg.

[arrysen]

This team, in its various guises, has been "good occasionally" rather than "good consistently". Whether it is able to break that mould and genuinely be "up there" more often over a season, or more specifically, over several seasons, will be something to watch this year (& of course with the new regs in 2026). 

[mclarensmps]

S'up, y'all? A belated Happy New Year to you all!

 

 

 

Mr. Cowell seems like my kinda guy. Suscribed.

Happy New Year! 

I agree. My lead often tells me: My job is to surround myself with the best people and unblock their path to success. It is not my job to be "better" than them or to tell them what to do, or how to do it. 

[pup]

I agree. My lead often tells me: My job is to surround myself with the best people and unblock their path to success. It is not my job to be "better" than them or to tell them what to do, or how to do it. 

 

But, isn't that exactly what Cowell just did?  

[Autodromo]

While the leadership and Newey bring potential, I cannot think of a pair of drivers who excites me less.  Alonso is still crafty but I can't imagine Nepo Jr. will beat him nor will the car be spectacular.  Sort of no mystery or tension.  I would be happy be incorrect and eating my words come mid-season.

[PayasYouRace]

It's probably a very boring name with no other meanings in Luxembourg.

I still insist on using the Nicholasname, “Michael” Krack for him.

[rocque]

Gary Gannon (Hulkenberg's recent race engineer) joins Aston Martin.

[KWSN - DSM]

Gary Gannon (Hulkenberg's recent race engineer) joins Aston Martin.

 

Interesting.

[Joseki]

GPBlog has confirmation from the team that they will reveal the livery at the F1 event and then AM and Mercedes will share the track in Bahrain the 25th of February for the first shakedown of the car (the day before testing starts).

 

Not sure if this means they will not have a proper launch event at the factory like the last 2 years.

 

https://www.gpblog.c...hrain-test.html

Edited by Joseki, 19 January 2025 - 17:58.

[RedRabbit]

What's the point of 2 reveals? No teams launch the real car and it must be quite expensive to hold one of these events.

[Joseki]

What's the point of 2 reveals? No teams launch the real car and it must be quite expensive to hold one of these events.

Ferrari is reportedly making a separate launch at Fiorano.

[Joseki]

A recording of Andy Cowell's presentation speech to the team the day he became CEO of AMR. It means nothing, but I can't say it didn't motivate me

 

https://x.com/AMForm...179504317350244

[Ultravox]

While the leadership and Newey bring potential, I cannot think of a pair of drivers who excites me less.  Alonso is still crafty but I can't imagine Nepo Jr. will beat him nor will the car be spectacular.  Sort of no mystery or tension.  I would be happy be incorrect and eating my words come mid-season.

 

I'm pretty sure Alonso is still very quick and still one of the best drivers on the grid. Stroll is not as bad as people pretend he is. He was respectable vs Vettel despite being less experienced as he is now.

[Autodromo]

I'm pretty sure Alonso is still very quick and still one of the best drivers on the grid. Stroll is not as bad as people pretend he is. He was respectable vs Vettel despite being less experienced as he is now.

Yes; to be clear I wasn't saying that the drivers (at least Alonso) aren't exciting, but that I cannot imagine Stroll finishing higher than Alonso nor AMR finishing above midfield.  Therefore there is no tension or excitement about the team.  I can't see much surprise for 2025.  I do agree that Stroll is better than most give him credit for.  He deserved to be in F1, but perhaps not for this many seasons.  

[mclarensmps]

I'm pretty sure Alonso is still very quick and still one of the best drivers on the grid. Stroll is not as bad as people pretend he is. He was respectable vs Vettel despite being less experienced as he is now.

 

There are some folks who don't rate Vettel (especially the Aston Martin version), so that isn't the best yardstick to rate Stroll's "pretend" ability. 

[FNG]

AM seem to be making the right moves, especially getting Newey. However, with Stroll jr seemingly having a seat for life, it's hard to take the team too seriously to be honest. RB has shown a lesson you actually need two drivers to win.

[Secretariat]

Regarding the current driver pairing, I came across interesting but not necessarily surprising comments from Alonso give how their 2024 season went.

 

There were a couple of races that I was not maybe comfortable with the car, or I was not super motivated. When you are not super motivated or you are not fighting for anything in the championship, you are a little bit down on energy.” "It was a disconnection of the car. Front and rear axle were not really working at the same time in the same phase of the corner. “When you go through the lap and through different corners, and both axles are doing different things, and they are not talking to each other, the car is really difficult to drive. https://www.f1technical.net/news/26092

 

In speaking for myself, each driver is their own person, but if the team leader (who is also an industry legend) is struggling with motivation at times, seems realistic that would also impact the #2 driver especially when the team as a whole had no hope for 4th in WCC and was in no realistic danger of falling to 6th. I am cutting Alonso some slack because what he says was the reality of the 2024 season. Consequently, makes sense to cut the #2 driver some slack as well.

[FNG]

Regarding the current driver pairing, I came across interesting but not necessarily surprising comments from Alonso give how their 2024 season went.

 

 

In speaking for myself, each driver is their own person, but if the team leader (who is also an industry legend) is struggling with motivation at times, seems realistic that would also impact the #2 driver especially when the team as a whole had no hope for 4th in WCC and was in no realistic danger of falling to 6th. I am cutting Alonso some slack because what he says was the reality of the 2024 season. Consequently, makes sense to cut the #2 driver some slack as well.

 

There was plenty of motivation at the beginning of 2023 and Lance was embarrassing. People really contort themselves into trying to justify his performances. His driving is horrible and above all else his attitude is horrible.

Edited by FNG, 24 January 2025 - 21:19.

[BRG]

His driving is horrible and above all else his attitude is horrible.

Don't beat about the bush, mate.  Tell us what you REALLY think.

[RainyAfterlifeDaylight]

Don't beat about the bush, mate.  Tell us what you REALLY think.

Let me guess! I'm always good at these things!

I think he means that the front suspension should be Pull-Rod this time.

[Secretariat]

There was plenty of motivation at the beginning of 2023 and Lance was embarrassing. People really contort themselves into trying to justify his performances. His driving is horrible and above all else his attitude is horrible.

The Stroll-steria is strong. First of all, 2024 was the discussion point and about Alonso's words, no one else's. Second of all, in 2023 Stroll finished 10th in points on a team that was 5th in the WCC, do the math and it illustrates the same point in terms of finishing position. In your view, who was he supposed to beat that finished ahead of him, maybe Piastri? Stroll is a #2 driver on a midfield team. Plenty of those in F1 and as with many #2 drivers (hence their role and position), those guys come with flaws. Difference is he effectively owns the team....good on him and his family given that he could never rely on a surname to get an opportunity. I think we all know that F1 is not a meritocracy, but that does not mean I need to ignore the merits or qualities of second rate drivers.

[Joseki]

https://autoracer.it...girano-il-mondo

 

Good article about the team's logistic. Nothing related to performance but I'm always curious about the organization of the F1 circus.

 

“In the Red Sea or in the Suez Canal we had some problems – confirms Aston Martin's logistics manager – it happened that many ships were targeted by groups intent on stopping the service. Several companies thus decide to go around the Cape of Good Hope, at the bottom of South Africa, and this causes significant delays for us. Last year we ended up sending goods to Japan via the United States, which is not exactly a usual plan. But then shipping companies are not like airlines: we know we have to take a lot of extra time into account to ensure the goods arrive on time also because it often happens that they change route or decide not to stop in a port. We have very little control over these factors and the best we can do is ask that our containers be left on the ground. I think I'm now obsessed with tracking our loads online, after a while it becomes a real addiction. We started drawing up our transport plans from July 2024, as soon as the calendar for 2025 was defined. The containers that were in Mexico for last year's GP are already on their way to China. We would have liked to bring everything back here to England to check the contents but we would not have had time to send them back in time. Once the weekend in Shanghai is over, the same materials will leave for the United States so as to arrive in time for the GPs in Miami and Montreal. Despite the proximity, for Japan we will use another set of materials that is here in the factory after returning from Azerbaijan while for the first GP [Australia ed.] we will use the material from Qatar since the set used in Abu Dhabi is already in Bahrain for pre-season testing, where it will remain until the race. Finally, for Europe, we will use the sets returning from Brazil and Las Vegas. Let's hope they arrive soon!."

[KWSN - DSM]

https://autoracer.it...girano-il-mondo

 

Good article about the team's logistic. Nothing related to performance but I'm always curious about the organization of the F1 circus.

 

“In the Red Sea or in the Suez Canal we had some problems – confirms Aston Martin's logistics manager – it happened that many ships were targeted by groups intent on stopping the service. Several companies thus decide to go around the Cape of Good Hope, at the bottom of South Africa, and this causes significant delays for us. Last year we ended up sending goods to Japan via the United States, which is not exactly a usual plan. But then shipping companies are not like airlines: we know we have to take a lot of extra time into account to ensure the goods arrive on time also because it often happens that they change route or decide not to stop in a port. We have very little control over these factors and the best we can do is ask that our containers be left on the ground. I think I'm now obsessed with tracking our loads online, after a while it becomes a real addiction. We started drawing up our transport plans from July 2024, as soon as the calendar for 2025 was defined. The containers that were in Mexico for last year's GP are already on their way to China. We would have liked to bring everything back here to England to check the contents but we would not have had time to send them back in time. Once the weekend in Shanghai is over, the same materials will leave for the United States so as to arrive in time for the GPs in Miami and Montreal. Despite the proximity, for Japan we will use another set of materials that is here in the factory after returning from Azerbaijan while for the first GP [Australia ed.] we will use the material from Qatar since the set used in Abu Dhabi is already in Bahrain for pre-season testing, where it will remain until the race. Finally, for Europe, we will use the sets returning from Brazil and Las Vegas. Let's hope they arrive soon!."

 

I work in International Transportation & Logistics, I am very surprised that the teams still rely on Ocean Transportation as they appear to, it has always been riddled with delays, weather, politics and customs putting holds on - With a  race season the challenges will only increase.

 

Obviously airfreight is much more expensive, and they may only be shipping the non-essentials via ocean, I expect we will have a few stories of hardware not making it to a race in time.

[Ali623]

The Stroll-steria is strong. First of all, 2024 was the discussion point and about Alonso's words, no one else's. Second of all, in 2023 Stroll finished 10th in points on a team that was 5th in the WCC, do the math and it illustrates the same point in terms of finishing position. In your view, who was he supposed to beat that finished ahead of him, maybe Piastri? Stroll is a #2 driver on a midfield team. Plenty of those in F1 and as with many #2 drivers (hence their role and position), those guys come with flaws. Difference is he effectively owns the team....good on him and his family given that he could never rely on a surname to get an opportunity. I think we all know that F1 is not a meritocracy, but that does not mean I need to ignore the merits or qualities of second rate drivers.

 

I mean they were 5th in the WCC in 2023 because Stroll was so poor.... if he had achieved even half the points Alonso did, they would have been 4th. If they had another driver in the seat that could be thereabouts with Alonso, they could have even finished 2nd in WCC that year. 2023 really summed up why AM having Stroll in that seat can be so detrimental to their WCC position. Stroll being that far off a 43 year old Alonso just isn't anywhere near good enough. 

Edited by Ali623, 25 January 2025 - 17:13.

[RainyAfterlifeDaylight]

https://autoracer.it...girano-il-mondo

 

Reporter: The car doesn't perform well in the corners and it lacks top speed. Why?

AstonMartin: Yeah we were stopped in Suez Canal for several times, that is why.

Reporter: It looks like the car has no mechanical grip. Is it true?

AstonMartin: Yep! Missile attacks in the red sea are to blame.

Reporter: Was it a good idea to pit that early in the race? It looked like to be a desperate move with no sensible outcome!

AstonMartin: Shark attacks on cargo ships are just relentless, Aren't they?

 

[Secretariat]

I mean they were 5th in the WCC in 2023 because Stroll was so poor.... if he had achieved even half the points Alonso did, they would have been 4th. If they had another driver in the seat that could be thereabouts with Alonso, they could have even finished 2nd in WCC that year. 2023 really summed up why AM having Stroll in that seat can be so detrimental to their WCC position. Stroll being that far off a 43 year old Alonso just isn't anywhere near good enough. 

 

Half the points huh? In the entirety of Alonso career, he has been outscored on points only twice*.  When he was not outscored, his teammates scored 50% of Alonso's points only 6 times...3 of those times where in Alonso's first 5 years of F1. I don't put Stroll in the category of Trulli, Fisichella nor Ocon. Off topic, if Ocon could have/can sort out his own issues he would be considered top tier. Your half points proposition is a red herring in my view. In the context of Alonso, Stroll's relative point performance is on par with basically everyone who's had to share a team with Alonso. Again, Stroll is a #2 driver on a midfield team that he effectively owns. I would say when describing Stroll for what he is...he is exactly what one would expect. 

 

2001- zero points
2003-yes, Trulli
2004- yes, Trulli
2005- no
2006- yes, Fisichella
2007- outscored- tie w/Hamilton*
2008- no
2009- no
2010- yes, Massa
2011- no
2012- no
2013- no
2014- no
2015- outscored, Button
2016- no
2017- yes, Vandoorne
2018- no
2021- yes, Ocon
2022- outscored, Ocon
2023- no
2024- no

 

yes- means driver scored at least 50% of Alonso's points.
 

Edited by Secretariat, 25 January 2025 - 18:09.

[Ali623]

Half the points huh? In the entirety of Alonso career, he has been outscored on points only twice*.  When he was not outscored, his teammates scored 50% of Alonso's points only 6 times...3 of those times where in Alonso's first 5 years of F1. I don't put Stroll in the category of Trulli, Fisichella nor Ocon. Off topic, if Ocon could have/can sort out his own issues he would be considered top tier. Your half points proposition is a red herring in my view. In the context of Alonso, Stroll's relative point performance is on par with basically everyone who's had to share a team with Alonso. Again, Stroll is a #2 driver on a midfield team that he effectively owns. I would say when describing Stroll for what he is...he is exactly what one would expect. 

 

2001- zero points
2003-yes, Trulli
2004- yes, Trulli
2005- no
2006- yes, Fisichella
2007- outscored- tie w/Hamilton*
2008- no
2009- no
2010- yes, Massa
2011- no
2012- no
2013- no
2014- no
2015- outscored, Button
2016- no
2017- yes, Vandoorne
2018- no
2021- yes, Ocon
2022- outscored, Ocon
2023- no
2024- no

 

yes- means driver scored at least 50% of Alonso's points.
 

 

Since Alonso returned in 2021, he's was fairly well matched with Ocon - who, as much as I rate him, is generally a strong midfield driver at best (doesn't quite have the raw pace to be top tier). The more likely conclusion is that Alonso isn't as good as he was in his prime, combined with his record vs Ocon, suggests that Stroll is in fact just pretty terrible.

 

Stroll was also beaten very soundly by Perez, not quite as badly as by Alonso, but still points to the fact that Stroll is quite a bit worse than the average midfield driver level.