Formula 1
Aston Martin modified all visible F1 car parts to recover 2021 form
Aston Martin has revealed that it modified almost every single visible component on its Formula 1 car this year in a bid to help turnaround its campaign.
Jonathan Noble
Edited: Aug 16, 2021, 2:34 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Silverstone-based squad had a tricky start to the season with F1’s new floor rules, designed to cut downforce, especially hurting its low-rake concept.
But after spending some time battling near the back of the midfield, Aston Martin made good gains with its challenger as it set about an aggressive development push. Sebastian Vettel has now finished twice on the podium, although lost his second place finish in Hungary for a fuel irregularity.
Performance director Tom McCullough has praised the efforts the team made to get on top of things, and offered insight in to just how much it changed with its car.
“It was and is a more or less never-ending process of iterative development, and, as a result, there is almost no externally visible part of our car that has not been improved in some way between Bahrain and Silverstone,” he said.
“Or, to put it another way, if a part of our car is licked by the wind, we have probably updated it at some point over the past four months.
“It is working. We know that our car is still not the fastest, but it is now closer in performance to the cars of our principal rivals than it was at the beginning of the season, and that is the result of a carefully managed programme of aero improvement that has necessarily involved trial and error but has also delivered real results.”
While Aston Martin has made good gains with its current car, it knows it cannot keep on developing any longer.
With F1’s rules revolution in 2022 approaching fast, McCullough said that the impressive efforts will now have to get shifted to next year’s project.
“It has been a very impressive body of work, and I salute my colleagues for it,” he said.
“However, like almost all the teams, after the summer shutdown we will transfer that effort and resource to the task of making our 2022 car as competitive as possible.”
Vettel's progress
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin, 2nd position, with his trophy
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
McCullough has also some high praise for the ‘diligent’ way that new driver Sebastian Vettel transformed his campaign after a very tricky start to the year.
“Our 'new boy', Sebastian, was at first disadvantaged by his initial unfamiliarity with the way our car operates and feels, then by the unreliability that he suffered in the pre-season test in Bahrain,” he said.
“But he has worked very diligently since then, in our simulator at the factory and at the circuits, to help us analyse our previous races with a view to preparing for our upcoming races in the best way possible.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Why Alonso thinks he'd beat his younger self 'with one hand'
Next article Binotto cheering for Verstappen but tips Hamilton for F1 title
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Aston Martin Racing
Why F1's new regulations make the Mexican GP an even bigger challenge
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
22 h
Why F1's new regulations make the Mexican GP an even bigger challenge
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Latest news
MotoGP Malaysian GP: Pedro Acosta beats Marc Marquez in tense sprint
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
57 min
MotoGP Malaysian GP: Pedro Acosta beats Marc Marquez in tense sprint
Ducati copies swingarm fins and Aprilia responds with upgraded version
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
3 h
Ducati copies swingarm fins and Aprilia responds with upgraded version
Jorge Martin concedes 2026 MotoGP title is “already lost” after Malaysian GP withdrawal
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
3 h
Jorge Martin concedes 2026 MotoGP title is “already lost” after Malaysian GP withdrawal
Layne Riggs had no problem with teammate going for the win despite title fight
NASCAR Truck
NSTR NASCAR Truck
Martinsville
4 h
Layne Riggs had no problem with teammate going for the win despite title fight
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe