Cowell faces a complex task managing top talents at Aston Martin, balancing authority with collaboration, especially with Newey’s arrival.
Previously known as the head of Mercedes’ engine department, Andy Cowell is set to take on a completely different role at Aston Martin as the new CEO in charge of the F1 division.
Appointed by Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Aston Martin, Cowell will succeed Martin Whitmarsh as the CEO of the group, overseeing the brand’s Formula 1 and automotive operations.
This engine specialist will now have to broaden his horizons, delving deeper into the intricacies of the chassis side of things—although he had some insight into this during his time with Mercedes F1.
“Being on the team’s side as a whole, rather than just focusing on engines, takes me back to something I’ve always enjoyed, and it’s a pleasure with a different kind of challenge,” Cowell explains. “These are new technical stakes.”
Cowell has already undertaken an immersive training period, designed to introduce him to the aerodynamic operations of Aston Martin F1.
“One of the first people I spoke to upon arriving at the factory was [Technical Director] Dan Fallows. I told him: ‘I know that aerodynamicists want a lot of engine power, minimal heat dissipation, no aero-blockage—I get all that, but what else do they want?’ So, he put together a learning programme for me.”
“I spent time with the key aerodynamicists, observed wind tunnel sessions, followed the aero performance team measuring pressures in Singapore, and saw how all of this ties into aero data and CFD.”
“In short, I’m now wearing the aerodynamicist’s hat, but it’s more of an internship compared to my expertise in engine development. I think it’s good to try something different.”
Cowell will be leading a team that reads like an ‘all-star game’ lineup at Aston Martin F1, featuring Dan Fallows, Enrico Cardile, and, of course, the legendary designer Adrian Newey, who is set to join from Red Bull in March 2025.
How does one assert authority in the presence of Newey and ensure that Fallows and Cardile don’t feel constrained? It’s no small task, and it will fall squarely on Cowell’s shoulders.
“I remember when Mercedes Grand Prix brought together an impressive group of technical directors, and it worked well to start our domination in 2014,” Cowell recalls.
“We are a young organisation, operating at this level of infrastructure and resources. There’s a lot to be done, whether it’s setting up our own wind tunnel, acquiring all the necessary equipment, developing a gearbox to pair with the Honda engine for 2026, or refining our simulation tools to ensure they’re cutting-edge.”
“And if each experienced leader can focus on one of these major challenges, then we’ll reach the front sooner.”
So, how does Cowell plan to achieve this?
“My aim is to implement the organisational changes that will help all of us move forward, ensuring there’s not only a desk, a chair, and a drawing board ready, but also a structure bearing their name. My ambition is for Cardile and Newey’s first day at the factory to be a productive one, not a day of contemplation and reorganisation. I see that as my role as CEO.”
How does one become a leading team?
Cowell knows that his real evaluation will begin in 2026, but that Lawrence Stroll won’t afford much room for mistakes.
For now, Aston Martin F1 has a long road ahead: the team is not the fastest in the midfield. A fifth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship seems to be their ceiling, at least under the current regulations.
“I think we’re disappointed with where we are,” Cowell admits. “Everyone is, I haven’t met anyone who’s living in a bubble of happiness.”
“And we need to improve across the board. There isn’t a single area of the team that tells me we’re perfect, ready to win championships. Everywhere, we acknowledge that yes, we could do this better, we’d like to achieve that—it’s our roadmap to reach the point where we believe we can excel.”
For 2026, Cowell envisions a team that is fully operational, creative, and demanding—in short, a winning team, which Aston Martin F1 is not yet.
“My job is to build a team, and in a team, everyone knows their role. Everyone understands their position on the field. My role is to speak with each player about what they could do to improve.”
“It’s not about telling them what to do. It’s about creating a high-performance atmosphere where you do something, learn from that experience, come up with new ideas, and start again.”
“With every project, I want us to get better. It’s not just about aiming for a single target. Yes, it’s a shift for us.”
“But I want us to be incredibly creative with everything we work on, and then extremely rigorous in how we conduct our experiments, believing in the outcomes of those experiments.”
“And we try to detach ourselves emotionally from the idea when we review the results—we learn, and we get back into the cycle as quickly as possible. That’s what we’re doing at Silverstone (where the team is based); it’s just about nurturing that, encouraging it, and continuing in that way.”
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Cowell’s Challenge: Managing a ‘Dream Team’ at Aston Martin Cowell’s Challenge: Managing a ‘Dream Team’ at Aston Martin. f1 2024 Cowell’s Challenge: Managing a ‘Dream Team’ at Aston Martin
