S Poddar
Dan Fallows, a key figure in Formula 1, has left Aston Martin, where he was technical director, just months after taking up the role. The 50-year-old formerly led aerodynamics at Red Bull and joined Aston in 2022 and will “remain with the group.”
During his leave, executive director Bob Bell, himself a veteran design engineer with years of experience, will take over the acting technical director’s role. Bell was appointed at Aston Martin in March of this year.
Fallows resigned after a strategic move by new CEO Andy Cowell, who took control of Aston Martin in October. This has come after the team’s performance declined sharply after a very optimistic start to the 2023 season.
Where Fernando Alonso managed to collect six podium finishes in the first eight races of last season, a momentum that Aston Martin lacked to translate over the second half of it by failed car development. This has also stuck this season as, whereas Alonso’s best finish has been the fifth spot, Aston Martin finds itself in the fifth position in the championship.
Fallows was thanks to the chance of leading the technical team and was hopeful of a good future for the team. “It has been my pleasure and privilege to lead the technical team in their journey to becoming champions and race winners. Now it is time for me to hand over the baton, but I eagerly look forward to the moment when the team will be successful again, which I am sure that day will not be far off,” he added.
Aston Martin’s ambitions owner Lawrence Stroll hopes to grow the team into full-time championship contenders. It is achieved through the signing of noted designer Adrian Newey from Red Bull. The mastermind behind the largest portfolio of championship-winning cars will join Aston Martin next March on a deal rich enough that speaks to his massive contribution to the sport.
Besides Newey, the team announced the appointment of Enrico Cardile, former Ferrari chassis technical director, as its chief technical officer; his join date is still to be established. The technical director post will be announced in due course. Probably not before Newey and Cardile, because those appointments will be key to how their vision for the future of the team could look like.
