Aston Martin F1 team poor performance?
Discussion
I don’t have any inside knowledge at all but it looks to me like they just got the interpretation of the rules wrong. They’re legal but simply didn’t see how to optimise the rules. Question is do they have the people, resources and headroom within the cost cap to sort it at all in the season or is it already time to ‘focus on next years car’. Trouble is allegedly they were one of the first to do that last year and look where we are. Frankly the current performance is embarrassing…hope the perception doesn’t colour the wider view of the road cars.
2022 Australian GP.
1:19 = Front of grid.
1:21 = Back of grid.
Margins are so small. Just 2.5% slower than Pole Position and you find yourself last.
Even at the back, the cars are mighty fast, but seem to be considered as no good.
Force India (forerunner of Racing Point, now using the Aston Martin name), had a reputation of obtaining better results than their team size or money, was expected to achieve. Now with a much bigger number of employees and more money being spent, the results have not been as good.
Considering the many senior staff changes at AML, perhaps there is a question about how easy it is to work under the direction of Lawrence Stroll. Is he perhaps too 'hands on' ? Are the higher number of team members able to work in a well coordinated manner?
Is excessive pressure been put on individuals ?
We only see the on-track results, so what might be going on within the team, we don't know.
Simpo Two said:
The Wings logo can do many things but it can't make a second-rate F1 car or its drivers go any faster.
I think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
I suspect that a good many potential AM owners would never watch the lower levels of motorsport or even know what they are, I guess some may have seen Astons at Le MansI think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
blueg33 said:
Simpo Two said:
The Wings logo can do many things but it can't make a second-rate F1 car or its drivers go any faster.
I think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
I suspect that a good many potential AM owners would never watch the lower levels of motorsport or even know what they are, I guess some may have seen Astons at Le MansI think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
//j17 said:
blueg33 said:
Simpo Two said:
The Wings logo can do many things but it can't make a second-rate F1 car or its drivers go any faster.
I think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
I suspect that a good many potential AM owners would never watch the lower levels of motorsport or even know what they are, I guess some may have seen Astons at Le MansI think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
Did Stroll invest in AM because he wanted to brand his sons F1 car or because he wanted to own a luxury car maker?
All Mercedes teams are struggling, the onboard camera with graphics of the Ferrari and Red Bulls showed they were doing 190+ mph though the fast right left sweep on the back side of the circuit, (the Ferrari starts porpoising at 190) the onboards of the Mercedes show max speed never went above 183mph.
The car isn't good.
Stroll isn't good. Too many avoidable collisions and infractions.
The team's leadership structure has been changed, with some questionable appointments.
Rumours are that team morale are very poor for leadership reasons.
Vettel did not drive at all in Bahrain or Saudi and got very little testing running in Australia.
Vettel appears to be detatched and disinterested (possibly not fully fit).
Stroll isn't good. Too many avoidable collisions and infractions.
The team's leadership structure has been changed, with some questionable appointments.
Rumours are that team morale are very poor for leadership reasons.
Vettel did not drive at all in Bahrain or Saudi and got very little testing running in Australia.
Vettel appears to be detatched and disinterested (possibly not fully fit).
Seb's season for me parallels exactly Mansell's doomed McLaren season in 1995. Admittedly he missed the first races because of covid not because he is too fat but I can see it ending in similar circumstances.
Sadly as he is a good guy but Leclerc is showing this season, with Norris, Ocon, Albon et al that the youngsters are now confident enough to be the new superstars of F1.
Sadly as he is a good guy but Leclerc is showing this season, with Norris, Ocon, Albon et al that the youngsters are now confident enough to be the new superstars of F1.
AM safety car not fast enough either it seems! https://f1i.com/news/438248-verstappen-critical-of...
cgt2 said:
Seb's season for me parallels exactly Mansell's doomed McLaren season in 1995. Admittedly he missed the first races because of covid not because he is too fat but I can see it ending in similar circumstances.
Agreed. Both aren't/weren't development drivers, by that I mean they don't have the patience for a poor car to come good. Seb was often moaning how poor the 2014 RBR handled compared to previous RBRs; Mansell threatening retirement.Simpo Two said:
AM safety car not fast enough either it seems! https://f1i.com/news/438248-verstappen-critical-of...
Lots of bagging the Aston while comparing the Merc with 200 more bhp being five seconds a lap faster, the Germans are just rubbing it in. Mercedes don't even brand their car in association with F1, unlike AM who's car is now getting a kicking... "line up, line up, for the Vantage F1 edition, in Q's new Turtle Green..."
With the wealth of talent they attracted over 7 years of absolute dominance, even Merc started this season flat footed and scratching their heads.. If it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone.
It was a huge shake up, some got it wrong - or maybe they got it right but haven't got their solution working right yet. I think we have to wait until at least mid-season, if not the end of the season to work out the difference between those whose car design is just wrong and those whose design is essentially good but has issues right now in terms of making the best of it's potential.
I hesitate to predict greatness for AM however though, because I'm not sure how much talent they really have working away. They were a down and out team for a couple of seasons and talent tends to depart when that happens. They did quite well as the 'Pink Mercedes' initially but then couldn't maintain that as other teams developed. In today's cost capped world a team can't go on a spending spree so a lot of a teams potential comes down to the level of talent they have attracted and maintained over the last many years.
Same reason as I see Williams as being a bit stuck. After years of the writing being on the wall god knows how many of their talented staff buggered off to other teams.
It was a huge shake up, some got it wrong - or maybe they got it right but haven't got their solution working right yet. I think we have to wait until at least mid-season, if not the end of the season to work out the difference between those whose car design is just wrong and those whose design is essentially good but has issues right now in terms of making the best of it's potential.
I hesitate to predict greatness for AM however though, because I'm not sure how much talent they really have working away. They were a down and out team for a couple of seasons and talent tends to depart when that happens. They did quite well as the 'Pink Mercedes' initially but then couldn't maintain that as other teams developed. In today's cost capped world a team can't go on a spending spree so a lot of a teams potential comes down to the level of talent they have attracted and maintained over the last many years.
Same reason as I see Williams as being a bit stuck. After years of the writing being on the wall god knows how many of their talented staff buggered off to other teams.
Edited by TheDeuce on Monday 11th April 23:18
Simpo Two said:
The Wings logo can do many things but it can't make a second-rate F1 car or its drivers go any faster.
I think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
You are probably right - earlier Ford and Jaguar F1 ventures didn't work out to well either! I think this venture in F1 might even damage the brand. Better to be top of Division 2 than bottom of Division 1 IMHO.
And what is Aston Martin about the car? Don't AM road cars use Mercedes engines?
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