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Fernando Alonso feels it will be another two years before Aston Martin maximises the potential of its newly opened factory.
After outgrowing its aging building following Lawrence Stroll’s purchase of then Force India in 2018, the billionaire paved the way for the construction of a £200million state-of-the-art, 400,000 square foot, three-building facility across the road at Silverstone.
The main building that opened earlier this month houses design, manufacturing, and marketing; the second, a wind tunnel due to come online next year, and the third will see the redevelopment and repurposing of the existing factory premises as a central hub featuring staff amenities and a logistics centre.
Ahead of the recent British Grand Prix, Alonso took in the primary new building that now ensures all key staff involved in the design and development of the team’s cars are finally under one roof, easing communications and logistics.
“It was fascinating to see the facilities, the people there in the same room, manufacturing our own parts of the car,” said Alonso.
“Until now, third parties were making our car, our chassis and everything. It’s a step forward.
“But I think we will need a couple of years to settle everything down and to maximise the potential
“Obviously, it shows the ambition of Aston Martin, and we have to be proud.”
Team principal Mike Krack, however, feels Aston Martin has to hit the ground running.
The team is currently fighting for second in the F1 constructors’ championship following a stellar first half of the season, at least from Fernando Alonso who has scored six podiums in 10 grands prix.
It could be argued the transition from one factory to another has been a major distraction for a team that currently trails Mercedes by just 22 points in the standings
Asked by Speedcafe as to how long any bedding-in period would take, Krack replied: “I would be lying if I gave a number, how many weeks or how many months.
“The time we have is zero, basically. We have to get into it immediately. The move should never serve as an excuse.
“We knew we had to move once we took this decision, and we have to be the best with it, without looking for excuses.”
