33 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, Yesterday, 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.