In front of a packed audience in its new Silverstone headquarters, the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team (AMF1) unveiled its 2023 Grand Prix challenger, the AMR23.
This season’s race drivers Lance Stroll and double F1 World Drivers’ Champion Fernando Alonso took to the stage to reveal the new car alongside Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll and Team Principal Mike Krack.
The AMR23 is a considerable evolution of last year’s chassis, which was honed across the season into a consistent points challenger. In year three of the team’s ambitious journey as Aston Martin, the aim is to deliver a car that will be competitive from the outset.
Lawrence Stroll, AMF1 Executive Chairman, said: “This year’s move into our new state-of-the-art factory is more than just a serious statement of intent: it will considerably strengthen and empower every single individual in this organisation, helping us to deliver on our ambition to narrow the gap to the front of the grid and, in time, become genuine championship frontrunners.
“In the past year, we have demonstrated the determination and belief needed to move forward and we have constructed a brand-new car to match our vision and ambition.
“Across our partner portfolio, I want to offer my best wishes to Ravi Kumar, who has just been appointed CEO at Cognizant, a company with whom we share an inspired vision. To the team at Aramco, who have shown incredible faith in this organisation, and to all our partners, I extend my thanks for joining us on this unique journey.
“The talk today is of new energy – and, believe me, it feels like a fresh start and an incredibly promising and ambitious way to begin the new season.”
Mike Krack, Team Principal, said: “The second half of 2022 showed real signs of progress as we worked hard on car development. For this year, our aim must be to build a car that can fully deliver on its performance potential from the first moment it hits the track.
“Making a strong start to the year, and then maintaining that momentum, is necessary if we are to make further advances towards the front of the grid. And, as an organisation, we are working hard to achieve that, and to further strengthen all areas of the team.
“We already know the proven strengths of our design, engineering and build departments – the arrival of Fernando, partnering Lance, further underlines the sheer depth and range of our driver squad. It feels like every element of this organisation is really working well together.
“Finally, we would like to thank all of our fans for their unwavering support, and we look forward to seeing you across the world this season.”
Dan Fallows, Technical Director, said: “The design team was adamant that it wanted to tackle these regulations without compromise. We want to move up the grid and start challenging the teams at the front – and you can’t do that by sitting back and being conservative.
“AMR23 is a significant development of the car we refined in the latter half of 2022 – and we have improved it in every critical area. It optimises the solutions we felt would offer us the most performance, and it embodies the joint vision we have embraced and have built together over the recent months.
“Now we need to focus on delivering an ambitious yet efficient programme of updates for the first race and across the remainder of the season.”
Lance Stroll said: “Looking at AMR23, I can see lots of new thinking and some aggressive work around the packaging and aerodynamics that should really help us out as we head into year two of these new rules.
“I’m massively looking forward to working with Fernando. I’ve always got along very well with him – and it will be fantastic to race alongside him.”
Fernando Alonso said: “I have always said that I could see the ambition that shines bright at AMF1. And, as we launch the car in this brand-new factory, I think everyone can now see the scale of the ambition and determination at the heart of this organisation.
“Just as important is the car – and the AMR23 looks incredibly neatly packaged and highly efficient. I was pleasantly surprised when I sampled last year’s car for the very first time, and I think there is plenty of performance we can unlock together. I can’t wait to get started.”
The AMF1 ‘Driver Squad’
Fernando and Lance spearhead a six-strong squad of AMF1 driver talent, which combines the full breadth of youth and experience needed for a modern F1 team.
Lance embarks on his seventh year in F1 and has been a staple during the team’s development. With 122 Grands Prix starts to his name, the 24-year-old brings to the table a wealth of talent and determination.
Teaming up with Lance for 2023 is two-time F1 World Drivers’ Champion Fernando Alonso. The Asturian’s competitive drive and hunger for success were the key factors behind the team signing him last summer.
In addition to Lance and Fernando, the team is proud to have bolstered its 2023 line-up with an impressive supporting cast.
Reigning FIA Formula 2 Champion Felipe Drugovich continues in his role as Test and Reserve driver for this year. The Brazilian will attend selected Grands Prix with the team throughout the year.
Defending FIA Formula E Champion Stoffel Vandoorne also suits up as a Test and Reserve Driver, dovetailing the role with Felipe as their schedules permit. The Belgian is fresh from his title triumph and returns to a series he knows well, having been Fernando’s F1 team-mate in 2017 and ’18.
Completing the roster are team ambassadors Jessica Hawkins and Spain’s Pedro de la Rosa. The duo will bring their expertise and support to the team both on and off the track during this year’s 23-race calendar.
Tech stability allows for targeted innovation
After last season’s wide-reaching technical changes, there is only a subtle refinement of the regulations for this year, with a few small adjustments focused on ensuring compliance and improving safety.
That technical stability has given the team the opportunity to adjust its personnel roster. For 2023, Technical Director Dan Fallows will lead the design office; Andrew Green becomes Chief Technical Officer for Aston Martin Performance Technologies, to expand and diversify the Group’s broader commercial activities.
The most notable technical changes for 2023 includes a 15mm raising of the floor limit – to mitigate against F1 ‘porpoising’ or bouncing; a more stringent vertical deflection test; and new, larger rear-view mirrors.
The consistency in the rules has also enabled the AMF1 design team to iterate and innovate in several key areas – most notably aerodynamics. The key visible differences to the AMR23 include a heavily revised front wing; new sidepods, which incorporate a sweeping inner ramp to more efficiently channel airflow; and a new engine cover with a larger roll hoop inlet.
Silverstone campus signposts the future for F1
In the year that Aston Martin celebrates its landmark 110th anniversary and prepares to unleash its next generation of sports cars, the brand could not be more forward-thinking.
Central to the future of the F1 team is its new campus, the venue for today’s AMR23 launch event. Ground was broken in the summer of 2021, and the first phase of construction on the 400,000 square feet (37,000m2) project is due to be completed in the spring.
The second and third phases of the build – which comprise the wind tunnel, simulator and exhibition space – are set for completion at the end of 2024.
The new factory is the first all-new Formula One building for almost 20 years, and both the building and its grounds have been designed with sustainability and wellbeing at their heart. Some of the special measures include:
- the creation of over 72,000m2 of wild meadow and the planting of over 1,500 trees
- increased insulation, natural lighting, air-sourced heat pumps and photovoltaic solar energy that enables a carbon footprint reduction of 278 tonnes per year
- installation of bike, walking and bus routes to the campus, plus fast EV car-charging points for efficient staff commuting
- a wellness system for all staff, including a gymnasium, full-time personal trainers, yoga and other fitness programmes
- staff restaurant with extensive outdoor seating areas for environmental wellness
A platform for talent with TikTok
In collaboration with TikTok, the official sound of the AMR23 reveal is an exclusive launch of the latest ‘Rain Radio’ collaborative track ‘I See Colors’ featuring Disco Lines and Benji Gibson.
The AMR23 Launch will be the first outlet to debut this track as the team and TikTok continue to extend their platforms to emerging creative talent and the celebration of self-expression and co-creation.
Building a legacy with Make A Mark
This year, the team continues its Make A Mark journey – an initiative based on a commitment to drive positive progress through the influence of the team and our sport.
Make A Mark drives positive progress for our people and our planet, underpinned by an attitude of passion, accountability, and respect. Through Make A Mark, AMF1 can influence change within the team, communities, and the environment – this year, one of the areas Make A Mark will focus on is making sure that young people in our communities are given the chance to understand career pathways into motorsport and technology.
The work is centred around three pillars: i) sustainability, building a sustainable business and operation, and working with our partners to devise and create more sustainable solutions; ii) community, improving the future of people in our communities; iii) inclusivity, creating an inclusive and diverse culture that ensures everyone feels respected, supported, and appreciated.
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