Aston Martin F1 Aligns Strategy Drivers Excel

Aston Martin F1 aligns future plans as McCullough praises Alonso and Stroll’s professionalism.

Tom McCullough, Aston Martin F1’s Performance Director, praised the professional conduct of his drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, as the Silverstone-based team navigates a challenging phase in terms of performance and development.

The AMR24 appears to be regressing as the season progresses, although the British GP, a home race, marked a slight resurgence. The team awaits more promising updates for Hungary.

“Our drivers, like any others, want to be at the front of the grid—we know this—so if we make changes to the car that don’t quite deliver the desired relative performance, the drivers won’t be as happy,” McCullough admits.

“Our drivers like to see their names at the top and score points. That’s what we aim for in terms of ambition. In the meantime, they are very professional, working hard during debriefings.”

“What’s good for us is that both are saying exactly the same thing about the car—the data says the same, we can see where we need to improve. We’re now focusing on integrating these parts into the car as quickly as possible.”

The team continues its long-term development, including the ongoing expansion of its Silverstone base and the recruitment of Andy Cowell, former head of Mercedes’ power unit division, as the new CEO. Cowell will replace Martin Whitmarsh in this role come October, and McCullough is confident in what he can bring as Aston Martin continues to grow.

“Clearly, Andy brings extensive experience from his time at Cosworth and then Mercedes. Martin has worked with him in the past.”

“Martin has played a crucial role in the development of the campus and in our current situation as a team, with much of the strategic thinking, and I think having someone like Andy to take over—there will be a good transition period between the two—it’s that caliber of person you want to see the big picture, to make the major decisions to keep the team moving forward as we are.”