Aston Martin F1 Performance Director Acknowledges Huge "Advantage" in Fight Against Red Bull
The 2023 Formula 1 season has been nothing short of remarkable for the Silverstone-based team, Aston Martin. With Fernando Alonso securing three consecutive podium finishes, the British team has emerged as one of the winners from the Winter break while other teams have very much lost.
Aston Martin is now positioned to fiercely compete with Ferrari and Mercedes for second place in the Constructors' Championship, a spot they currently occupy, and are pushing way towards current leaders, Red Bull and its drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Ferrari and Mercedes Struggling to Catch Up
Both Ferrari and Mercedes are still struggling this season, despite a hint of performance from the Brackley Squad at the Australian Grand Prix. Aston Martin, however, is benefiting from its 7th place finish in the Constructor's Standings last year, which has granted them 100% of the prescribed wind tunnel time compared to the frontrunners, allowing them to analyse and strategise more extensively than the likes of Ferrari, Mercedes, and especially Red Bull who have even less not only because they finished first, but also because of their cost cap punishment from 2022.
Tom McCullough, Aston Martin's Director of Performance, acknowledged this advantage in a recent interview with AS, stating:
"It is without a doubt an advantage; we try to use it as much as we can. The more time you have, the more sessions you do, and the more things you can analyze."
Weekly Wind Tunnel Sessions for Aston Martin
According to McCullough:
"We are every week in the wind tunnel looking for development paths that can bring significant benefits, keeping the cost ceiling in mind. Parts will arrive from Baku. It's actually the process that everyone is doing right now."
The Close Competition Among Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Mercedes
The differences in performance between Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Mercedes is marginal, but with the AMR23 currently closest to the Red Bulls in consistent pace, they're currently the team to watch.
“Mercedes, Ferrari and we have been close since the tests,” McCullough continues. “There are small differences between efficiency, slow curve, medium curve, fast curve. The cars do similar times but they achieve it in a different way.
“In any case, the trends of the single-seaters can be the consequence of strategic decisions due to the spending ceiling, so we must wait for the world championship to visit more varied circuits. Our car stands out more for the corners than for the speed on the straight.
“Last year we did a lot of rear wings to have an optimal one on many circuits, but that is very expensive. This year we have had the same wing for three races. We will introduce a rear wing in Baku, where a lot of efficiency is required, but we plan everything from the perspective of the cost ceiling.”