Aston Martin's ‘Star Wars’ Wind Tunnel: Game-Changer for Newey

Newey to Harness Aston Martin’s World-Class Wind Tunnel in 2025

Aston Martin F1’s groundbreaking wind tunnel and simulator promise unprecedented advantages as Newey prepares to elevate the team’s competitive edge.

With Aston Martin F1 having little left to play for in the latter half of the season, all eyes naturally turn to 2025 and, even more so, to 2026 with its new regulations.

Next season, which will see the full integration of Andy Cowell, Adrian Newey, and Enrico Cardile, is expected to be a transitional year for the Silverstone team.

What, then, will a successful year look like in 2025? Or will next season hold little significance? Aston Martin F1’s team principal, Mike Krack, addressed these strategic questions.

“For next year, the immediate goal is to start the season in a better position than we did this year, and from what will hopefully be a strong foundation, make good development decisions and continuously improve the car.”

But Mike Krack acknowledges that 2026 will take priority over 2025, which will reflect in the development phases.

“2025 will be a special season as we’ll quickly shift focus to the 2026 car and its new regulations, which are coming fast. I don’t think anyone will bring new parts to the track after the summer break unless there’s a strong championship battle.”

“Our goal for the year is to arrive in Melbourne with a race car that’s significantly faster and easier to drive. Currently, there’s a gap between the top four teams and the other six, and we’re on the wrong side of it. Success next year will mean closing that gap and turning the top four into a top five. If we return to the leading group, if we’re part of that, it will be a success.”

The new wind tunnel and simulator at the AMR technology campus should help Aston Martin F1 narrow the gap with the leading teams.

Can Mike Krack elaborate on these essential tools today?

“The potential of the new simulator and wind tunnel is enormous. The Mercedes wind tunnel in Brackley, which we currently use, is excellent, but having our own on-site tunnel takes things to another level, especially since this wind tunnel will be technically the most advanced and set a new benchmark.”

“Why is it a game-changer? Because it offers more flexibility. Currently, we have to run our wind tunnel tests sequentially. If there’s a model failure or a reliability issue, we lose those tests. The aerodynamic testing restrictions in F1 make these tests a limited and valuable resource.”

“Having our own tunnel will streamline operations and allow our aerodynamicists to be more creative. Everything will be close by—the model workshop is right next to the wind tunnel. We can pause a test, wait an hour or two for new parts to be produced, and then resume.”

When will the team start seeing the benefits of these groundbreaking facilities?

“Commissioning a wind tunnel is a specialist task, and we’re fortunate to have a very passionate team handling this work. There are strong leaders within this group. They don’t get the attention given to drivers, management, or the design team, but they’re probably under even more pressure, and they handle it calmly, leading their teams exceptionally well.”

“We won’t see immediate results once the wind tunnel is operational. Like any new tool, it requires learning to use it effectively. It’s not simply a matter of switching it on to instantly get better results or higher fidelity. The first objective is to match the consistency and quality we currently achieve in our existing wind tunnel. That’s not easy, as this tunnel has been fine-tuned for 20 years. After that, we’ll focus on further development and continuous improvement.”

As for the new simulator, it’s also a potentially game-changing addition for Aston Martin F1.

“This has also been a massive undertaking, with a dedicated team pouring all their expertise into making it a benchmark model. Like with the wind tunnel, I frequently check in with everyone to deepen my own understanding, and the simulator is simply incredible. It’s going to enhance our fidelity and improve the entire driver feedback loop. I saw a demonstration and was absolutely blown away—it was like being in Star Wars.”

Newey to leverage the world’s best wind tunnel

Beyond technical resources, there are the people: Adrian Newey and Enrico Cardile will soon join from Red Bull and Ferrari to make the most of these new advancements.

They must be eager, and Mike Krack is just as excited…

“I’m really looking forward to it. With Enrico, we gain immense experience in managing and leading a technical organization; with Adrian, we get that incredible creativity and holistic understanding of the vehicle. I’m thrilled to have them here because, firstly, they’ll help us make faster cars, and secondly, I’ll learn a great deal from them.”

Last month, Andy Cowell also joined the team as Group CEO. However, he won’t be directly involved with the engine, despite his previous role at Mercedes F1.

“He’s fully invested and quickly found his footing. He’s still learning how we operate, but he’s unafraid to ask questions and is open to driving change. The exchanges are truly collaborative, and he’s integrating quickly. Andy is someone who can be serious when necessary and bring humor when it’s not. He’s a very strong leader, but also a good listener.”