Aston Martin has kick-started the 18-month construction project of its expanded F1 base near Silverstone along with host of its partners.

After COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the project, it is finally underway in Northamptonshire, where Aston Martin is expanding its F1 base to accomodate the growing personnel in their team and scaling new heights for a brighter future.

The ceremonial breaking-ground ceremony took place in the new plot in the presence of Lawrence Stroll and Otmar Szafnauer along with JCB Chairman Lord Bamfrod. The 18-month long project is handled by Ridge and Partners LLP along with Gardiner & Theobald.

The area is 400,000 square feet (37,000m2), which will host three buildings. One will house the team’s design, manufacturing and marketing resource, with the second for a brand new wind tunnel & simulator and third is the existing building, which will redevelop and repurpose as a central hub featuring staff amenities and a logistics centre.

The commissioning of the wind tunnel is due to start in Q3 2023. While the recruitment carries on, Aston Martin is taking help of its partners like Cognizant, NetApp and Sentinel One, in order to have a ‘smart factory intelligent systems’ in their new F1 base.

With their help, Aston Martin is building a ‘wireless, adaptive, streamlined facility – one whose information streams, monitoring systems and manufacturing processes are tied together via data in the cloud’, system to streamline their work.

“It is inspiring to look at where we are now in the context of the architectural and organisational challenges and ambitions that lie ahead,” said Lawrence Stroll. “Our new buildings reflect not only the scope of our determination to become a World Championship-winning force, but also the scale of our growth and development as an organisation.

“I feel strongly that any building is a powerful representation of the people who work within it, and I am thrilled that we are creating a new home in which people can work, collaborate, create and win together. It is exciting to think that the entire team will be in its new home by the end of 2022 or the start of 2023, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners who are working on the project, especially JCB and Cognizant.”

Meanwhile, Szafnauer added: “Our existing Silverstone factory is a little piece of Formula One history – but, as an organisation, we have outgrown it. What is more, we will require even more space as we continue to build our headcount over the next few years.

“We are indebted to the local council for their help and understanding throughout the design and consultation phase; we feel like we are creating a landmark that will express and enhance the values and investment that have made the Silverstone Technology Park and Motorsport Valley essential locations for the British technology industry.”

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