Andy Cowell: In Formula 1 you have to be the best at everything

      Aston Martin has had a poor start to the season, but team principal Andy Cowell believes that everything is on track.…

      Question: Andy, you have nothing to brag about this year. How do you assess the situation?Andy Cowell: We are not satisfied with the efficiency of the machine. We hoped that it would be faster and allow us to earn points in each race. But it's always a complex issue with many factors from tires to aerodynamics. It is very difficult to solve this problem better than others.

      The difference in results is very small. To go one step higher, you need to be better than your opponent in everything. The car is being developed in a wind tunnel and on CFD computers, but when you release it on a real track, the data from the aerodynamic sensors gives one result in Bahrain, and another on this track, although physically it is one car.

      It's amazing that cars from different teams, built by different designers, engineers, and aerodynamicists, with different equipment and drivers, show very similar results on the lap. This season is the last for the current regulations, and the fight this year is exceptionally tight.

      Aston Martin is a relatively young team, we are trying to understand and use new tools and technologies not just to survive, but to succeed. If we could go back to the beginning of the season with the car we have today, we would achieve great success at every Grand Prix. It gives us hope.

      Question: You mentioned new tools. Have you got a new wind tunnel working, when will we see the first results of work in it?Andy Cowell: The new pipe has been in use since the weekend in Melbourne to refine the 2025 car and work on the 2026 project. We have completely switched to working in this tube, and we will see the first new products developed there in the upcoming races.

      We are happy with the new pipe, it has already allowed us to find something new. To bring this to life, you need to go through several stages. Change the molds, make new parts, test them on a model, then transfer them to a real car and bring them to the track. We are in this process, enjoying the new tool, and hoping to use it to make the car faster.

      Q: Fernando Alonso said on Thursday that the rumors about Max Verstappen joining Aston Martin are a compliment to the team. Do you share this opinion with Fernando, or can the rumors destabilize the team?Andy Cowell: We are incredibly lucky to have two experienced drivers under contract for the next two years. This means that I can focus on improving the business and building a faster car.

      Q: So you're not expecting Max Verstappen in 2026?Andy Cowell: I'm focused on improving and strengthening the team so that we can build a fast car for Lance and Fernando.

      Question: There are only nine months left until the start of the winter tests in 2026. Given the information you have, what can the fans expect? Will the fight be tight? Will the season be interesting?Andy Cowell: Yes. I think the 2026 season will be interesting for everyone. High power of the electrical part – 350 kW, new power plant, different tires, different aerodynamics. There are surprises waiting for us, both positive and negative. But that's what our sport is interested in.

      We can keep the rules and the fight will get even tighter, but it's great that new technologies are coming to Formula 1, the balance of power is changing, new teams are appearing – Audi will join us.

      I visited the Honda office last week. They are working to increase the efficiency of batteries for Formula 1, which is useful in the design of road cars, and this effect motivates other manufacturers.

      I think we're going to have an exciting time, and we'll have something to be surprised about and something to discuss.

      Question: Kiddia wants to build the best track in the world, and you are involved as a consultant, just like the racers. Will Formula 1 really say goodbye to high-speed Jeddah after 2027?Andy Cowell: Everyone likes coming to Jeddah, it's an amazing circuit. A night high-speed race on a track surrounded by barriers, it would seem that what could be better. But I'm sure the Kiddia circuit will be even more interesting. We're all looking forward to it!