Aston Martin – and its immediate predecessors – have been criticized in recent years for being a rather similar clone of Mercedes’ Formula 1 team. Make the leap from Merc’s engine-buying clientele to plan to become Honda’s working team in 2026, then, will require a considerable amount of development to get things right. But Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, said the team was ready.
“I joined the team 16 months ago and we have reset our agenda,” Whitmarsh said when asked during a press conference about Aston Martin’s willingness to move into chassis development.
“We have a great partnership with Mercedes, but we are here to win and winning means beating our current partner,” he explains. “If you’re trying to win while relying on your opponent, that’s the problem.”
Whitmarsh explains that, along with some similarities in the rear spoiler design and Mercedes’ use of gearboxes, Aston Martin has relied on Mercedes for things like using wind tunnels – which Mercedes, of course, limit. In essence, Aston Martin was given an engine and used some data and facilities, but it was not kept secret about any development secrets or orders. It has to work with whatever its competitors offer.
However, in November 2022, Aston Martin announced its intention to build a $240 million factory in silver stone designed to be a “game changer” for the team. There, the team will be able to develop everything but PU in-house: chassis, powertrain, suspension, aerodynamics. An additional building will house an Aston Martin-specific wind tunnel, meaning the team will only be limited to using the facility under F1 rules. The three-building structure is expected to be completed next year.
“We have had to make major technological commitments for 2026, but every aspect of the car and our program will be shared between Honda on the PU side and Aston Martin on the chassis side,” said Whitmarsh. speak. With the facilities to perfect their own car, Aston Martin believes they are ready to move to the next level of competition.
