Aston Martin's new wind tunnel ‘opened our eyes,’ says Cowell
Aston Martin’s quest to become a Formula 1 title contender gained momentum with the recent activation of their... The post Aston Martin's new wind tunnel ‘opened our eyes,’ says Cowell appeared first on F1i.com.
Aston Martin’s quest to become a Formula 1 title contender gained momentum with the recent activation of their new wind tunnel at the AMR Technology Campus in Silverstone.
Aston’s crucial aero and development tool now complements the team’s growing infrastructure, alongside a new works engine deal with Honda starting in 2026 and the addition of top technical talent, including the recent recruitment of F1 design guru Adrian Newey.
Operational since mid-March, the wind tunnel is now supporting aerodynamic development efforts for both the 2025 and 2026 Formula 1 seasons, with early upgrades set to appear soon.
And the facility has already provided critical insights into the team’s aerodynamic work that has “opened our eyes” according to Aston Martin’s CEO and team principal Andy Cowell.
“We’ve transitioned to this tunnel, and there’s hardware coming through that we’ll see at the circuit in the coming races,” Cowell explained during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend.
Looking Forward to Making a Faster Race Car
Aston Martin had previously relied on engine partner Mercedes’ wind tunnel for their aerodynamic development.
Addressing the challenges of switching facilities, Cowell added: “People often talk about how to tell the time when you’ve got two watches – how do you tell the aero load when development work has been done in one wind tunnel and then you swap across to the next?"
©AstonMartin
“They’ll never tell you exactly the same, but we are enjoying the new wind tunnel. It’s opened our eyes to a few characteristics.
“Then you’ve got to do the work. If you’ve got a new test facility that gives you a clearer view, a more representative view, you’ve got to then do aero development work."
“You’ve got to change shapes, make parts, understand, and then make full-size components to bring to the circuit and measure in this complex environment.
“We’re in that process, enjoying the new tool, and look forward to making a faster race car with it.”
A Challenging Start to 2025, but Optimism for Progress
While the new wind tunnel represents a major leap forward for the team’s technical capabilities, Aston Martin’s start to the 2025 season has been difficult.
The team has collected just 10 points from the first five races, placing them seventh in the Constructors’ Championship heading into the Miami Grand Prix.
“I guess we’re not happy with the performance of the car,” Cowell admitted. “We’d like it to be quicker, we’d like to be picking up points at every single race. The team’s very ambitious."
“But it’s a complex business – lots of interacting systems from tyres to aero and others. Getting on top of all of that is exceptionally challenging. When you look at the lap time difference across all the teams, it is incredibly close.”
©AstonMartin
Despite the struggles, Cowell emphasized that the team remains optimistic, especially as they learn how to fully leverage their new tools and infrastructure.
“We’re in the last year of these regulations. We’re a relatively young team trying to dial in new tools and trying to understand it, and not just trying to survive, but to really succeed," he said.
“There are many areas where, if we could go back to the start of the year with the same car, we could do better at every event. That gives us hope.
“There are relatively easy things we can do to move forward, but some exceptionally complicated things we’ve got master as well.”
Armed with a clearer aerodynamic picture and growing experience, Aston Martin hopes to turn early-season frustrations into steady gains over the rest of the 2025 campaign.
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