Walk: New Factory shows our intention to be a winner

Lawrence Stroll’s Formula 1 dream grows and fades, now with news that Aston Martin F1 operations are due to move to a state-of-the-art “smart factory” across from Silverstone by the end of next year.

What began as a vanity project for Lawrence to give his son Lance a ride in Formula 1, starting as a paid driver at Williams, then to team ownership when they saved Force India from oblivion to found Racing Point, which in turn turns into that has transformed the grandiose Aston Martin project.

This is what they say about the team’s new crib:

Construction of the brand new Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 team buildings (a new factory and wind tunnel) in Northamptonshire has begun and a groundbreaking ceremony has taken place on the new property.

Aston Martin Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll and JCB Chairman Lord Bamford both attended the ceremony which marked the official start of an 18-month construction and installation phase for the new headquarters for the Formula One team, designed by Ridge and Partners LLP was and project-driven by Ridge, the construction consultancy Gardiner & Theobald and the team’s own internal resources.

The 37,000 m² building will be the new home of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 team, which has outgrown its existing facilities and will rapidly increase its current workforce by the expected completion date in late 2022 or early 2023.

The new three-unit factory will be built on the site opposite the historic Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit: one building will house the team’s design, manufacturing and marketing resources; a second is occupied by the brand new wind tunnel; and the third will convert and convert the existing factory premises as a central hub with staffing facilities and a logistics center.

A serious letter of intent

The construction of a brand new headquarters is a major cultural landmark for the sport – it will be the first completely new factory in Formula 1 in the UK in 17 years, most recently the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, which officially opened in 2004.

As such, it is a serious indicator of the level of ambition of the team’s chairman, Lawrence Stroll, who is developing, expanding, and improving all facets of the organization to achieve world championship performance.

For the first time, the new factory will house all manufacturing resources on a single campus – the team currently operates from multiple discrete buildings, with additional work being outsourced.

In addition to the modernization and expansion of systems and machines, the new plant will be supplemented by a brand new wind tunnel and a brand new Formula 1 simulator.

The new tunnel will use the latest steel belt roller line system and state-of-the-art flow imaging section surface. For the first time in the team’s history, the location will include the wind tunnel, model support, and production facilities – a move that brings significant development rate benefits.

Commissioning of the wind tunnel is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2023.

Recruiting: People at the heart of the growth plan

The development of the new location is also associated with an ambitious recruiting offensive. The Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team has made several notable technical appointments in the past few months and continues to actively recruit at all levels of the company.

Many of the new roles will be filled by seasoned experts who are already involved in motorsport, but others will also be open to local talent in the neighboring community.

The first “Smart Factory” of Formula 1

As a new building, the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team Factory will be the first Formula 1 facility to benefit from the complete installation of intelligent smart factory systems.

In collaboration with partners Cognizant, NetApp and Sentinel One, the new factory was designed from the ground up as a wireless, adaptable and optimized facility, whose information flows, monitoring systems and manufacturing processes are connected to one another via data in the cloud.

The support from the team’s key technical partners underscores both their commitment to the organization and the validity of the solutions they provide.

The intelligent factory technology gives the new building the ability to constantly adapt to the cyclical manufacturing processes of a Formula 1 team and will offer significant economies of scale and functionality as the team expands its production presence.

Lawrence walk, Executive Chairman of the Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One Team, said: “It is inspiring to see where we are now in the context of the architectural and organizational challenges and ambitions that lie ahead.

“Our new buildings reflect not only the extent of our determination to win a World Cup, but also the extent of our growth and development as an organization.

“I firmly believe that every building is a strong representation of the people who work in it, and I am thrilled that we are creating a new home where people can work, collaborate, create and win together.

“It’s exciting to think that the entire team will be in their new home in late 2022 or early 2023, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our partners who are working on the project, especially JCB and Wissing.”

Lord Bamford, Chairman of JCB, said: “This ambitious project positions the new team headquarters firmly in the Formula 1 landscape and provides a fantastic home and work environment for a group of exceptionally talented and motivated men and women.

“I’m inspired by Lawrence’s compelling vision for the team. We share this ambition wholeheartedly: to build a better industrial future for our country. “

Otmar Szafnauer, CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin Cognizant, said: “Our existing plant in Silverstone is a small piece of Formula 1 history – but as an organization we have outgrown it. In addition, we will need even more space in the next few years as we continue to expand our workforce.

“We are grateful to the local council for their help and understanding during the planning and consultation phase. We feel like we are creating a landmark that expresses and enhances the values ​​and investments that have made Silverstone Technology Park and Motorsport Valley key locations for the UK technology industry. “

Brian Humphries, Chief Executive Officer of Cognizant, said, “Aston Martin offers everything you would expect from a partner – visionary, innovative, customer-centric, focused and fast-paced. We really enjoy our partnership because the work is up to date, we can use the full range of our digital solutions and the results are quickly visible.

“It’s exciting to be part of the new Aston Martin factory design. By implementing Lawrence’s compelling vision and Cognizant’s digital capabilities, Aston Martin’s infrastructure will evolve into a smart factory that will help the team become one of the most respected and successful names in Formula One.

“The inauguration of Aston Martin’s functional factory and wind tunnel begins a transformative journey that leverages the best knowledge, experience and expertise of both companies. It also reflects the determination and confidence of our two organizations as we deliver on the promise of this deep and mutually beneficial partnership.

“When completed, the new Aston Martin Cognizant buildings will represent the state of the art in Formula One and provide an empowering place to work, design, manufacture, collaborate and win.”