"There are many pieces of the puzzle we need to put together," claims Aston Martin's Bob Bell
Aston Martin will need to put "many pieces of the puzzle" together according to Executive Director - Technical, Bob Bell before the British outfit is able to fight for the top position.
While the discussions about the all-new 2026 technical regulation usually focus on the new power units, there will be significant changes to aerodynamic configuration of the F1 cars as well.
With the arrival of the new power units that will feature a fifty-fifty ratio between the electric components and the internal combustion engine, the sport will introduce a host of aerodynamic changes. With these tweaks, the target is to make the cars more efficient and ensure they are able to perform similar lap-times to what we see now.
However, Aston Martin's Executive Director – Technical, Bob Bell conceded that these new technical regulations will only be the tip of the iceberg for the Silverstone-based outfit as it will need to make sure it can extract the maximum of the potential of its brand-new facilities.
"Given where we are on our journey, the 2026 regulation change is perhaps a bigger challenge for Aston Martin Aramco than it is for other teams. There are many pieces of the puzzle we need to put together to be ready for 2026.
"We're almost a brand-new team – our team is almost unrecognisable from the team it was when Aston Martin returned to the sport in 2021: we've had a significant increase in headcount; we're transitioning to be a works team; and we have these wonderful, cutting-edge new facilities... but we have to bring them all online.
"These things need to be refined, they need to be optimised, they have to be fully debugged. That takes time and a lot of effort. It isn't just a case of turning them on and starting work.
Shortly before first practice for this year's season-opening Australian Grand Prix began, Aston Martin announced that they had begun using their new, state-of-the-art set-up, describing it as “the latest piece of the puzzle” in their journey toward a planned championship challenge.
The new facility is located at the AMR Technology Campus in Silverstone which will definitely make things easier for Aston Martin's engineers as they will be not forced anymore to rely on Mercedes' own wind tunnel.
"Up until very recently, we used the Mercedes wind tunnel in Brackley, a few miles down the road from the AMR Technology Campus in Silverstone.
"That wind tunnel was built a long time ago, it's completely debugged, it's fully optimised, it's working at the peak of its capability. To bring our brand-new tunnel up to that standard in a short space of time will be difficult. That's all running in the background alongside developing a 2026 car.
Alongside its brand-new facilty and desgin tools, Aston Martin will also have a new engine partner from next year. The Silverstone-based outfit has used Mercedes' power units for a long time, but with Honda having elected to stay in the sport when it introduces an all-new engine formula, Aston Martin decided to switch enginer partner and join forced with the Japanese manufacturer.
"We also have a brand-new engine partner. We're very excited to be partnering with Honda as a works team, and I couldn't think of a better engine manufacturer to be entering into 2026 with.
"There are new elements of the package that our team will have to produce. Take the transmission: the last time this team developed its own gearbox was in 2008.
"We'll be creating new rear suspension, our own pit equipment and various pieces of software. Many things that we currently source from Mercedes as a customer will go away and we have to do them for ourselves.
"The philosophy is that you're not going to beat someone if you’re using their kit, as they will always have a lead on you, but getting ourselves ready to be a works team is a huge undertaking – and opportunity – and makes preparing for 2026 much broader than 'simply' building a new car. That's the tip of the iceberg. The stuff under the water is vast," concluded Bell.
