Aston Martin Chief Addresses Mercedes Wind Tunnel Links To Performance Struggles - 'Too Easy Of An Excuse'

Saajan Jogia | Oct 7, 2024

May 3, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll (18) races into turn three during F1 practice at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack suggested that utilizing Mercedes' wind tunnel for the development of its title contender may have played a role in the AMR24 F1 car's disappointing performance this season. However, he stressed that this cannot be used as an excuse for the team's poor results.

The team's in-house wind tunnel is set to become operational on January 1, 2025, as team owner Lawrence Stroll makes significant investments to enhance the team's infrastructure and equipment to competitive standards.

Not only that, the team is also focused on hiring key talent from the F1 grid to elevate its performance in the long run. Aston Martin's recent signing of Adrian Newey last month made huge headlines, as the team aims to capitalize on one of Formula 1's greatest designers, who played a huge role in Red Bull's dominance in the current ground effect era that began in 2022.

Aston Martin began the 2023 season on a high note, clinching multiple podium finishes. However, it has struggled to maintain that momentum this year, with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finding it challenging to secure points. Krack attributed this downturn to the compromises in sharing a wind tunnel with the team's engine supplier, Mercedes. He told the media:

“I think that would be too easy of an excuse.

“We have another team using the same wind tunnel with less time. So this is not an excuse.”

When he was asked if that played a role in the team's loss of performance, he said:

“That's possible, but still, we are quite far behind that team. So it's maybe a factor for them.

“It's maybe a factor for us, but I think with the same tool, we could do better.”

Krack acknowledged that while the wind tunnel is essential, other testing and development processes significantly impact the car's performance. He emphasized that integrating these processes to work in tandem with the wind tunnel is crucial. The team is actively pursuing this goal as it partners with Honda to manufacture its own F1 engines starting in 2026. He said:

“If you are a team in the building process, it's not only to put the wind tunnel there but also to have the technology and the methodology and the way you go about testing. The same is [true] for simulation.

“We were a customer team for many years and you have to build all these things in parallel, but if that is the choice you make, you should not use it as an excuse afterwards.

“You have that part [the wind tunnel] that has to be developed, but you have also a car to be developed and you must not use one to excuse the other.”