Aston Martin hopes huge opportunity from the 2026 F1 season
Aston Marin's CEO and team boss Andy Cowell hopes that the 2026 F1 season will provide the Silverstone-based outfit with a huge opportunity to get closer to the sharp end of the field.
Ahead of the current season, Aston Martin announced a change of team principal as part of a major management reshuffle, with CEO Andy Cowell taking over the position previously held by Mike Krack.
The British outfit explained that the change was necessary "for clarity of leadership and as part of a shift to a flatter structure". Andy Cowell will continue to assume the role of CEO, but he will also act as team principal from now on.
Aston Martin has also announced that it has separated its aerodynamics, engineering and performance departments into two divisions, with one dedicated trackside and the second one the AMR Technology Campus-based team. Both divisions will report into Andy Cowell.
The trackside team will be led by former team boss Mike Krack, who will take on the role of Chief Trackside Officer.
The AMR Technology Campus-based team will be spearheaded by the team's new Chief Technical Officer, Enrico Cardile. Ferrari's former chief designer will oversee the architecture, design and build of new race cars.
Tom McCullough will remain with Aston Martin in a leadership position, but he will move away from the F1 division to focus on the expansion of the team's broader range of racing categories.
With new regulations coming into play and the significant growth and investment in the team, many people expect 2026 to be the year for Aston Martin. Cowell hopes that next season will only be the first year of a long successful period.
"2026 is a huge opportunity for us but it's not just about '26, it's about '27 and '28 and '29 and '30. It's about building a team that can achieve sustained success. Yes, '26 is important but it's just another step on the journey. 2025 is also an important step on our journey and we are focused on improving our performance this year and carrying positive momentum into 2026.
"We mustn't underestimate the scale of the challenge to bring all these elements together. We've got to make the transition from a customer team to a works team at the same time as the new regulations come into play, and we've got to design and manufacture our own gearbox along with other components of the car that have previously been supplied to us by Mercedes.
"We're partnering with Honda, one of the best power unit manufacturers in the world, who are hugely creative and motivated, and then we have Aramco developing advanced fuels for us and Valvoline providing us with best-in-class lubricants.
"We're fortunate to have these powerhouse organisations as partners, they're at the forefront of their respective fields and bring so much experience and expertise. Our new Technology Campus will be fully operational by 2026 and we've got some brilliant technical minds joining the team. These are just a selection of all the puzzle pieces that we've got to bring together."
