Why Alonso is far from finished: Team Principal Cowell explains

12:55, 25 Apr

Updated: 12:56, 25 Apr

byLudo van Denderen

For Andy Cowell, CEO and since this season the team principal of Aston Martin F1 Team, this year is not the first in which he collaborates with Fernando Alonso. They first crossed paths back in 2007, although the Spanish driver may hardly have been aware of it, Cowell laughs during an exclusive interview with GPblog.

It was 2007, when Cowell worked in Mercedes' engine department and Alonso was racing for McLaren. That team was using the Mercedes power units at the time. Looking back on that period, Cowell says: “I guess back then I was a lot more youthful, lower down in the organisation. The chief engineer of the V8 engine in 2007.”

“The engine was not great in its first year in 2006, but the performance team did a great job through the winter going into 2007. And we arguably had the best engine in 2007. If you do a good job as an engine engineer, nobody knows you. If there's oil leaking all over the engine, nobody knows you. If there's oil leaking all over the floor with a conrod hanging through, the driver tends to know you so thankfully that year Fernando didn't get to know me!”

Cowell sees Alonso as a real motivator

At Aston Martin, Cowell really got to know Alonso. “He's a remarkable individual,” says the Brit. “When you look at the racing categories that he's had success in and enjoyed, but also his competitive drive and his insight. Every conversation he suggests something."

“Sometimes when people suggest things and you think, 'why didn't I think of that?' Yes, he can do that, across a broad spectrum not just car setup. So he's a great contributor to performance improvement ideas and his instinctive competitiveness again means he's hungry to have it today. So that combined is very potent and hugely motivating for everybody.”

Cowell also praises Lance Stroll, the second driver alongside Alonso. “His youth and his hunger and his feedback and his human nature is really, really powerful in the team. He's really keen to drive a car that is quicker. So it's our current... we're fortunate we've got two drivers that get on well together, both contribute and both provide excellent feedback, and looking forward to seeing all that working with a stronger engineering organisation," Cowell concluded.

This story was made possible thanks to Tim Kraaij.