'Enjoying the new wind tunnel': Aston Martin's Andy Cowell optimistic as new Silverstone wind tunnel fuels team hopes of F1 resurgence
Andy Cowell (via Getty Images)
Aston Martin's Formula 1 aspirations are being given a lift by its brand-new
Silverstone wind tunnel
. The British team, struggling with a difficult beginning to the 2025 season, now hopes that its in-house, cutting-edge facility will assist in revolutionising the performance of the AMR25 and speed up development for the 2026 car under new regulations. Team principal
Andy Cowell
claimed that they are 'enjoying the new tool'.
Aston Martin targets F1 return with Silverstone wind tunnel breakthrough
Aston Martin's new wind tunnel went fully operational in mid-March, a key milestone in the team's ambitious infrastructure growth. In an interview with F1.com, team principal Andy Cowell highlighted how the Silverstone facility is giving the team a 'clearer' and 'more representative' picture of their
aerodynamic performance
than the old setup at Mercedes' Brackley headquarters.
'We've transitioned to this tunnel, and there's hardware coming through that we'll see at the circuit in the coming races,' Andy Cowell said. '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.'
Nevertheless, Andy Cowell acknowledged that changes in test venues have downsides. The AMR25 was initially conceived in a different wind tunnel, and the new data calls for realignment. Still, the Silverstone plant will be highly contributory to Aston Martin's efforts to rise again into contention, both in terms of this year's competition and building up the 2026 challenger.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money
Expertinspector
Click Here
Undo
Problems on the track call for improvements
The 2025 Formula 1 season has been unkind to Aston Martin up to this point. The team lies seventh in the constructors' championship after five events. Lance Stroll displayed early promise with a total of 10 points through the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix but has been unable to escape Q1 in the recent qualifying sessions.
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, has yet to score a point this year, with his best finishes being a pair of 11th places.
Andy Cowell did not shy away from the team's struggles. He explained that the intricacy of Formula 1—from aerodynamics to tyre behaviour—makes a comeback extremely difficult. Still, he has hope, considering many performance challenges can still be sorted out during the ongoing rules cycle.
Also read:
Adrian Newey's iconic drawing board reaches Aston Martin ahead of his joining, confirms Andy Cowell
While Aston Martin's 2025 Formula 1 season has not been perfect by any means, the opening of the Silverstone wind tunnel represents a major watershed. With a sharper understanding and a more sophisticated facility now entirely online, the team is committed to translating lessons into performance gains. As they continue with updates and future development, Aston Martin is looking to soon return to the sharp end of the grid, equipped with both ambition and the appropriate tools for the task.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Value Chain
39 minutes ago
- Fashion Value Chain
Maximilian Raynor Wins UK Jury for R
British designer Maximilian Raynor has emerged as the UK Jury winner for the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge (CDC) 2025, India's premier sustainability award for fashion innovation. The win was announced at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, with support from the British Council. The CDC, initiated by Reliance Industries Limited's R|Elan, in collaboration with the United Nations in India and Lakmé Fashion Week, empowers young fashion designers to champion circularity and sustainable design. The UK edition, held in partnership with the British Council, spotlighted Raynor's label for its circular approach—blending deadstock luxury fabrics, local British wool, and vegan apple leather with waste-reducing techniques. Notably, 50% of the brand's revenue comes from rentals and hires. Mr. Rakesh Bali, Senior VP & Head of Marketing at Reliance Industries Ltd., congratulated Raynor, stating, 'CDC reflects our vision to foster a new generation of conscious designers. The UK winner exemplifies innovation with responsibility.' Raynor was selected by a jury comprising Akanksha Kamath, Chelsea Franklin, Muchaneta Ten Napel, and Serva Davis, based on criteria like material innovation, lifecycle impact, energy efficiency, and alignment with the UN SDGs. Raynor will now compete against winners from EU, India, and APAC Jury Meets at the grand finale during Lakmé Fashion Week x FDCI in October 2025. The global winner will receive GBP 14,000 seed funding, the CDC trophy, and a six-month mentorship with Estethica's Orsola De Castro, along with a standalone showcase at Lakmé Fashion Week in March 2026.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bangladesh slashes Adani Power dues with $384 million payment, $500 million still outstanding
Bangladesh paid USD 384 million to Adani Power in June, significantly reducing its outstanding dues under a power supply agreement with the Indian firm, according to sources. In June (till June 27), Bangladesh has paid USD 384 million of the committed USD 437 million to be paid during the month, two sources aware of the matter said. This would clear Bangladesh's "admitted" claims till March 31. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo With this, Adani's "claimed" dues, while still substantial, will come down to around USD 500 million (assuming Bangladesh meets its month-end commitment), they said. Bangladesh has struggled to meet its payment obligations under the 2017 deal, as rising import costs following the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022 and domestic political turmoil - which led to the ouster of prime minister Sheikh Hasina - strained the country's finances. Live Events As a result, Adani had halved supply last year and full supplies were resumed in March 2025 after the country's monthly payments started covering some of the dues. With the latest payments, Bangladesh has paid nearly USD 1.5 billion of the roughly USD 2 billion total billed amount. Adani has reportedly agreed to waive late payment surcharge (LPS) for January-June period, amounting to about USD 20 million, if Bangladesh keeps its payment commitment. Sources said both parties are engaged in discussion to resolve some issues related to coal cost and plant capacity calculations. These are the key reasons behind the difference between "claimed" and "admitted" dues. When contacted, an Adani Power spokesperson confirmed the payments but didn't share details on "claimed" and "agreed" dues stating these discussions are private. The 2017 power supply deal between Adani Power and Bangladesh had come in for scrutiny after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government last year. Interim government, led by Nobel Peace prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, called for the formation of a high-level committee, comprising energy and legal experts, to re-examine the power purchase agreement (PPA). Under the 2017 deal, Adani Power's Godda power plant in Jharkhand was to supply 100 per cent of the electricity generated from burning coal, to Bangladesh for a period of 25 years. After payment defaults, Adani had cut supplies by half in November 2024. It restored full electricity supply, which is around 1,600 MW, in March after the country reduced liabilities. Bangladesh stepped up repayments from July last year, clearing monthly dues. This came after the country suffered from increased power shortages in rural areas. Bangladesh has been struggling to generate sufficient dollar revenues to cover the cost of essential imports such as electricity, coal, and oil. Its foreign currency reserves declined amid months of student-led protests and political unrest, which culminated in the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. The interim government that succeeded her sought an additional USD 3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on top of the existing USD 4.7 billion bailout package. Adani's power deal with Bangladesh was one of the many under Sheikh Hasina, which the current interim government has called opaque. Besides Adani Power, other Indian state-owned firms also sell power to Bangladesh, including NTPC and PTC India Ltd .
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
After Umpiring Controversy vs Australia, West Indies Captain Demands Harsh Punishment: "Blatant..."
West Indies crashed to a heavy 159-run defeat to Australia on Day 3 of their first Test at Bridgetown, Barbados. Having taken a first innings lead of 10 runs, West Indies were made to pay by the Australian middle order, with Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey all slamming half-centuries. It marked defeat for West Indies just one day after they were left agonised by some controversial umpiring calls. Captain Roston Chase also slammed the umpiring decisions and called for action to be taken against them. On Day 2, Chase and West Indies wicket-keeper batter Shai Hope were both given out in rather controversial circumstances by the third umpire Adrian Holdstock. Chase was given out leg-before-wicket (LBW) despite the ball seemingly having taken an edge off the bat before hitting him on the pads. On the other hand, Shai Hope was given out caught behind despite the ball appearing to have hit the ground while being taken by Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey. Both Chase and Hope were well-set in the forties when they were controversially given out, meaning that West Indies could not stretch their lead much. Chase did not hide his frustration regarding the umpires after the match. "This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team. There were so many questionable calls in the game, and none of them went our way," Chase said. "As a player, you're out there, you're giving your all, you're fighting, but nothing is going your way. It could be heartbreaking. Me and Shai Hope were going well and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of creating a big lead on the total that Australia set," Chase said. "It's clear to see anyone would feel bad or feel hurt about those decisions. You're out there playing to win, giving it your all, and it seems like everyone is against you. It's frustrating because as players, when we mess up, when we get out of line, we're penalised harshly. "But the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision, and life just goes on," Chase added. "You're talking about guys' careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy's career. I just think that it should be an even playground in terms of when players step out of line, they're penalised. I think that there should be some penalty put in place when you have blatant decisions going against you." Chase further stated. West Indies were skittled out for just 141 in their second innings, falling well short of the target of 301.
