Enrico Cardile: The Singapore circuit should suit the AMR25

      At the beginning of September Enrico Cardile took up the position of Technical Director at Aston Martin. Ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix he gave an interview to the team’s press office in which he talked about the specifics of the upcoming round and explained why he is not yet travelling to races.

      Question: Enrico, you recently took up the role of Technical Director. What will you focus on during the remaining race weekends this season?

      Enrico Cardile: Until the end of the year I will be working at the team’s base for every race weekend. There are several reasons for that decision.

      I have only just joined Aston Martin, so at this stage I am learning and observing which areas we do well in and which need optimisation. I believe these processes should be studied at the factory, so I’m closely watching the team’s work at every race weekend and how we try to get the most out of the car.

      With the introduction of the new technical regulations in 2026 approaching, planning and preparation are crucial, and that is what I am fully focused on. This season I am assessing all the great tools we have at our disposal at the factory and trying to understand what can be improved to fully unlock their potential.

      In addition, I’ve had a great opportunity to meet everyone at the factory, so the rest of the season will be a learning opportunity for me. Next year I will be coming to the tracks more often.

      Question: What result is the team expecting in Singapore?

      Enrico Cardile: You can never be completely sure how a race weekend will go, because the result depends on many variables, but high-downforce circuits suit the AMR25, and Singapore is one of them.

      In Baku we saw that low-downforce tracks present problems for us, although in Monza, another such track, our pace was better than expected, so nothing is guaranteed.

      We think Singapore suits our car fairly well, but we will only know how things really are when we go out on track for the first practice.

      Question: Why does the AMR25 suit high-downforce tracks more?

      Enrico Cardile: Our biggest difficulties this year came at Spa. The Belgian circuit not only features low downforce, which makes it similar to Baku and Monza, but also has challenging corners like Eau Rouge and Raidillon where minimal ride height is required to avoid porpoising.

      And it is this aspect that worsens our car’s characteristics. This is a common situation for cars of this generation, and porpoising affects cars from all teams to some degree.

      Question: Singapore is one of the toughest weekends of the year for drivers and the car because of the heat and humidity. How does the team cope with these difficulties?

      Enrico Cardile: For the car, we have to balance cooling and aerodynamic efficiency.

      To control car temperatures we open additional vents on the engine cover and sidepods, and we also use larger-diameter brake ducts because there are many braking zones around the lap.

      All these measures worsen the car’s aerodynamic efficiency, increase drag and reduce straight-line speed, so a balance must be found.

      As for the drivers, it’s important they drink plenty of fluids before the start to prevent dehydration, which can affect concentration and lead to mistakes. In Singapore mistakes are harshly punished because the walls are very close.

      Lance and Fernando will try to stay cool using FIA-approved cooling vests to help maintain their temperature.

      The weekend is very demanding for the drivers both physically and mentally. But it is also intense for the rest of the team working at the track and at the factory. Undoubtedly, though, we are in for one of the most exciting Grands Prix of the year, which will take place under the spotlights.