Aston Martin F1 is strategically preparing for 2026, mirroring top teams like Ferrari and Red Bull, aiming for regulatory mastery and forward-thinking development.
Aston Martin F1 is likely to finish fifth in this year’s constructors’ standings, unable to catch up with Mercedes…
Should the team, therefore, abandon 2024 to focus on next year?
Yet, within the Silverstone-based team, there is a belief that such reasoning should not prevail in this second half of the season. Since 2025 will be a year of regulatory stability, the development carried out in the coming weeks will also benefit next year.
Mike Krack outlines Aston Martin F1’s development plan…
“Further developments are planned for the AMR24 during the second half of the season, after which all efforts will be directed towards next year’s car.”
“We need to be realistic, given the gaps to the front and the back. We are not giving up on 2024, but 2025 will soon become our focal point. The work on this year’s car is crucial as it sets the direction for next year. There are many parts that will carry over with stable regulations, and everything we learn now will be applied in 2025.”
The real dilemma will not be juggling 2024 and 2025… but rather between 2025 and 2026, the year of the major regulatory change.
How will this dilemma be resolved within Aston Martin F1? Mike Krack details his team’s strategy.
“Everything we are creating is built around 2026 and beyond, because it represents a massive change. New power units, new gearboxes, new aerodynamics, new fuels, and lubricants—it’s a completely new challenge.”
“The current world championship is dominated by aerodynamics. Everything else is secondary because there are no significant improvements to be made elsewhere. The goal of the FIA and F1 with the new regulations is to rebalance things slightly.”
“The new regulations rest on three pillars: aerodynamics remain very important; the power unit becomes critical, especially in the early years of the regulations; and finally, weight becomes crucial because the targets set for the minimum weight are very, very challenging to achieve. The ambition to have lighter, more agile cars presents a massive engineering challenge.”
Is Mike Krack excited about these new regulations, or does he share the more critical views of figures like Christian Horner or Max Verstappen?
“I’ve been excited about these new regulations over the past few months, after discussing them with various individuals. The FIA and F1 have a plan, aiming to ensure thrilling races. The regulations are not yet finalized, and the FIA is actively collaborating with the teams. As the governing body, it theoretically can do as it pleases, but it seeks to garner team feedback and support on which areas should be liberalized and which should be restricted.”
“What they want to avoid are the significant performance disparities from one season to the next and the risk of one team’s dominance. That’s not good for the spectacle. That’s why they have been very cautious and restrictive so far. It’s also why some teams have been very unhappy and have made their feelings known in the media.”
“In my view, if we work with the FIA, we can create an exciting product, witness beautiful races, see moderate performance gains year on year that won’t distort the spectacle. By doing so, we can ensure the growth of the sport, have sensible regulations, and maintain strong competition.”
However, like others, Mike Krack fears that the regulations may be too complex to explain to some fans…
“We can also create something that fans can understand. This is very important and often underestimated. We should not be in a position where technology has to be constantly explained. There is a segment of F1 fans who crave a deep dive into the technology—and as an engineer, I am more than happy to oblige and encourage this—but they are not the majority. What unites all F1 fans is the desire to talk about great drivers piloting great cars.”
Aston Martin F1 bolsters its recruitment for 2026
To best prepare for the next regulatory period, Aston Martin F1 is significantly ramping up its recruitment efforts. Bob Bell, Andy Cowell, Enrico Cardile have joined the team… and they may soon be joined by none other than Adrian Newey!
Could all these new arrivals potentially destabilize Aston Martin F1, according to Mike Krack?
“We are still in a period of growth, but I think we need to be open-minded and dynamic, both in terms of personnel and car development.”
“It is clear that we need to build around a stable core. Routines and trust are essential, and establishing that trust can take a long time, but we must never simply settle for ‘everything is fine’. We must always look at what can be improved, what can be changed.”
“We have announced the arrival of several new senior team members in recent months, and every time a new person joins, I’m asked: ‘Is this the final piece of the puzzle?’ It is not. It never is. We will continue to look to recruit because there might be someone else who can make us better.”
“We must never forget that we have a lot of talent within the team, which we are constantly trying to develop and promote within the organization. You look outside because the organization must remain dynamic, open to new perspectives, but we must also give the team that is already here the opportunity to mature, to express themselves, to naturally migrate to areas of greater responsibility.”
The Aston Martin F1 team is therefore always a work in progress…
“Absolutely, but the same can be said of any F1 team—you are constantly evolving, constantly finding ways to improve and strengthen.”
Mike Krack adds a crucial detail: Aston Martin F1 now has the same resources (both human and material) as the other leading teams. No more excuses!
“We are developing to the point of achieving parity with the top teams in terms of employee numbers, and when the AMR Technology Campus is completed, we will have a state-of-the-art facility for manufacturing F1 cars. This campus will also provide a pleasant, inspiring, and stimulating work environment, as well as a useful tool for recruitment, while achieving all our sustainability goals.”
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