F1 | Aston Martin plans to recover lost ground
The first GP was disappointing for Aston Martin, but the team has a plan to turn the performances right
Aston Martin has started its first season back in F1 with a clear goal: be strong and competitive just like it was as Racing Point. The first Grand Prix was extremely disappointing though. The British team’s CEO Otmar Szafnauer has a plan to turn the situation right: copying Mercedes.
You would definitely remember that last year Aston Martin was known as Racing Point, nicknamed “The Pink Mercedes” for its similarities to the leader of the grid and many components. Why should this season be different?
The new 2021 car wears the same “low rake” design philosophy used by the Brackley team, a strategy confirmed by the fact that the Silver Arrow is experimenting the same aero problems.
“We have found things in the [wind] tunnel and in CFD,- Szafnauer admits while assuring that there is much more to come in Aston Martin’s potential - so we’ll start bringing them to the track pretty soon. It’s just a matter of clawing back the deficit that was imposed on us by the FIA through their regulation change based on safety. From talking to some of the other teams, they seem to have made up the entire deficit and we haven’t. And that’s just because of the different aero philosophy we run. So we’ll work hard to get that done in the next few races.”
Everyone at Aston Martin is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
— Aston Martin (@astonmartin) April 9, 2021
Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family at this time. pic.twitter.com/lfjpDFszhu
“The changes were all made around the rear of the floor around the tyre area so that’s where we have to start looking for more downforce, - he continues - So it’ll be rear downforce that we’re looking to improve. And with that comes better balance of being able to dial in more front wing and the whole thing just takes off.”
The solution of 2021 delusions is studying how Mercedes handles the same problems, to double their strategy.
“I think for sure we have to look and see what type of lap times they [Mercedes] are able to do – Szafnauer reveals - We have the same powertrain, the same gearbox, same rear suspension so if they are able to do some of those lap times, we should be able to get close – so that gives us some hope.”
We will see how Imola will welcome the two teams, this time it looks it will not be Hamilton’s engineer Bono to answer, “Copy that” to the Silver Arrow’s performance on the track.
