Racing Point details plans for "true integration" with Aston
Racing Point Formula 1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer says the outfit's 2021 link-up with Aston Martin will be "true integration" and "beneficial for both sides".
The team's future Aston Martin works status was announced last month after Racing Point owner Lawrence Stroll bought a shareholding in the troubled car marker.
Szafnauer says plans are already in hand for the racing team to share its technical expertise with its sister company, as part of the overall deal.
“It should be great,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com. “It's a win-win. It should be beneficial for both sides. I mean, we're going to become a works team, with a fabulous name.
“And Aston Martin will get some trickle down technology from F1, and some technology transfer.
“First and foremost, we've got a nice wind tunnel in Brackley that they can use. We've got aerodynamicists that they can tap into as well. And I'm sure there will be other technologies that will trickle down into the road cars.
“We make things really like stiff, which helps a race car and it also helps a performance road car, so there will be areas that will help their sports cars. I look forward to that.”
Asked if technology might also travel in the other direction, Szafnauer said there are no plans as yet.
“We'll see what they have, and see if there's anything we can learn from them. And if there is, we’ll be happy to bring it over.”
He also confirmed that the new Silverstone factory will also accommodate a team of road car designers – essentially the group that is currently working with Red Bull Technology on the Valkyrie hypercar project.
“It looks like at our new facility they'll probably have 100 design engineers sitting with us too, so there'll be a true integration – the people that are at Red Bull now will transfer over to us. They're just sitting with us, they'll be under the same roof.
“They've done a hypercar with Adrian Newey, the Valkyrie. And then there's some other variants coming that are sub-Valkyrie level. It's not for me to say, but they'll introduce some other some other nice products.”
Szafnauer believes that the Aston name will also help the team recruit the best qualified candidates as it continues to expand its staffing levels.
“It's one of the great British brands. It'll be great to bring Aston Martin back to F1 racing. Really, really excited. We've got to do the brand justice, so we’ve got to make sure we perform.
“We're looking to get bigger. We're nearly at 500 now, and we're not going to stop. But my philosophy has always been you have to recruit the right people, because it's a team effort.
“We’ve got to make sure we have the best team that we can, not just for the sake of recruiting, getting the numbers up. We've got to recruit the right people. But I think Aston will also help in recruiting and getting the team bigger.”
Who the real winner is from Mercedes' DAS system
Ferrari restricts F1 factory access, travel amid coronavirus
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...
The key aspects of Porsche and Audi's planned F1 entries
The VW Group’s German superpowers of sportscar racing have all but confirmed they are coming to F1 when the next set of engine rules come into force in 2026. Here's why both manufacturers are all set to take the plunge, and crucially how it might work
How Vegas went from byword for F1 indifference to grand Liberty coup
Holding a race in Las Vegas – party central, a city of dreams and decadence and, yes, more than a smattering of tackiness – has been on Liberty Media’s most-wanted list since it acquired Formula 1’s commercial rights. But, as LUKE SMITH explains, F1 has been here before and the relationship didn’t work out
Why de Vries' FP1 outing could add a new path to his current crossroads
A Formula 2 and Formula E champion, Nyck de Vries is currently considering where his future in motorsport lies. Continuing in WEC and Formula E is possible and he's also courted glances Stateside after impressing in an IndyCar test. But ahead of his Formula 1 FP1 debut with Williams, he could have another option if he impresses...