Aston Martin gives itself nine months to decide on its involvement in F1
Aston Martin's CEO, Andy Palmer, stated that the British manufacturer is giving itself a nine-month period to decide on its entry as an engine supplier by 2021.
Andy Palmer, who leads the Aston Martin brand, has repeatedly expressed his interest in the new engine regulations planned for 2021. The project for simplified hybrid V6s could provide the manufacturer with the opportunity to become an engine supplier in the discipline at reasonable costs.
To facilitate this, Aston Martin hired former Ferrari chief engine engineer, Luca Marmorini, as a consultant last year. The purpose of this hire is to study the feasibility of an engine project, likely on behalf of Red Bull. Indeed, Aston Martin is currently the title sponsor of the Red Bull team and has collaborated with the Austrian brand on its Valkyrie Hypercar project. Furthermore, the Milton Keynes factory of the team has been expanded in recent months to open a joint research office between the two entities.
Palmer acknowledges that Aston Martin must first convince itself of its ability to produce a competitive engine before considering any commitment as an engine supplier for Red Bull Racing. « We are waiting for 2021, it is now in the near future. But if we do not pass the tests, it will probably mean that we will not succeed in being competitive, and it is absolutely essential that we are. »
According to its boss, the legendary British brand has the necessary tools to simulate the operation of a hybrid V6: « We have about nine months of work ahead of us to convince ourselves one way or another. We have single-cylinder simulation tools, which ensure a fairly accurate correlation between tests and simulation. »
In any case, Andy Palmer acknowledges that the possibility of getting more involved in the top discipline of motorsport has gained traction within Aston Martin. The brand’s executives are increasingly motivated by this opportunity: « Nothing has altered the prospect of our entry, nothing has called this possibility into question, so we continue to conduct as many preliminary studies as possible within the framework of what we currently know about the regulations, which are still under review. »
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However, the part of the 2021 regulations concerning cost limitation will be decisive in determining whether Aston Martin will actually engage in the discipline: « The part we don’t know about concerns cost control, and it’s an integral part of our decision to join the sport or not. We don’t have money to waste. It has to be profitable, let’s say more than just sponsorship; it’s a key element in our decision. »
Although the possibility of collaboration with specialized engine companies like Ilmor or Cosworth has been mentioned several times, it seems that Palmer would prefer maximum involvement from his manufacturer in the development of the future engine: « It brings authenticity, doesn’t it? We have Luca (Marmorini) as a consultant to work with us and help us make the big leap. He has done it before, he has a lot of credibility, a lot of understanding, and he can guide us. »
In conclusion, the CEO of Aston Martin emphasizes that this process will not be easy, but the brand already has the skills to build competitive and reliable engines: « It won’t be easy, we are not naive. This will at least give us an insight into the possibility of supplying our engines. But we are already engine manufacturers, and we know how to design engines. Our V12 is an example, the Valkyrie’s engine is an example, so we are not starting from scratch. I fully understand that Honda proves it has difficulties. But at the same time, we can start to see Honda improving. »
