Aston Martin’s Chief Technical Officer, Enrico Cardile reveals the group’s strategy to one of the demanding weekends of the season and why you will have to attend till subsequent 12 months to see him at a Grand Prix.
F1’s unique evening race, the Singapore Grand Prix, has shone brilliant as one of many sport’s most eye-catching occasions in virtually 20 years on the calendar.
A race weekend that gives intense racing, requires most focus, and punishes even the smallest of errors, it is a sensorial onslaught heightened additional by stifling warmth and humidity beneath the dazzling synthetic lights that line the spectacular Marina Bay Avenue Circuit.
Earlier than we tackle this thorough examination of human and machine, Chief Technical Officer Enrico Cardile reveals what he’ll be watching out for this weekend and divulges how the group will deal with the distinctive concoction of challenges that racing in Singapore offers.
Enrico, you’ve got not too long ago joined Aston Martin Aramco as Chief Technical Officer. What can be your deal with race weekends for the remainder of this season?Enrico Cardile: “For the rest of this 12 months I will be primarily based at AMR Expertise Campus every race weekend, and there are a number of the reason why that is the case.
“I am new to the group so, naturally, I am studying and observing at this stage, seeing what we do effectively and seeing the place we are able to optimise additional.
“I believe that course of begins at base, and so I am seeing how we’re functioning in Mission Management at race weekends as we attempt to get each little bit of efficiency out of the automobile.
“Forward of the brand new technical rules being launched in 2026, planning and preparation is essential; that is what my full focus is on. I am utilizing this season as a manner of stress testing all of the improbable instruments we now have in place on the AMR Expertise Campus, and seeing how we are able to make them even higher and extract all of the potential from them.
“It is also a possibility for me to get to know everybody who is predicated on the Expertise Campus, so the remainder of this 12 months actually is a studying alternative for me.
“Then, subsequent 12 months, I will be going trackside extra.”
How do you assume we’ll fare in Singapore?EC: “Clearly, you’ll be able to by no means be completely sure how every race weekend will go as a result of there are such a lot of variables at play, however it’s that true high-downforce circuits are inclined to go well with the AMR25 extra and Singapore is one among these.
“In Baku, we noticed how a low-downforce circuit can present challenges for us however at Monza, one other low-downforce circuit, we had higher tempo than we maybe anticipated, so it simply reveals nothing is assured.
“We expect Singapore can be a circuit that fits our automobile pretty effectively, however we’ll solely begin to see our true tempo at Marina Bay as soon as the automobile hits the monitor in Free Observe.”
Why is the AMR25 higher suited to high-downforce circuits?EC: “The circuit the place we have been challenged most this 12 months is Spa-Francorchamps, which isn’t solely a low-downforce monitor much like Baku and Monza, but it surely additionally presents fairly distinctive nook challenges equivalent to by means of Eau Rouge and Raidillon, which drive us to maintain a minimal journey top to keep away from bottoming out.
“This side disturbs the efficiency of our automobile. It’s a frequent behaviour for this technology of vehicles and it could range from automobile to automobile.”
Singapore is likely one of the most taxing race weekends for the drivers and the vehicles due to the warmth and humidity. How does the group take care of this?EC: “When it comes to the automobile, you are treading a tremendous line between preserving it cool and aerodynamic effectivity.
“To handle automobile temperatures, we are able to open up the louvres on the engine cowl and sidepods to permit extra sizzling air to flee, and use larger brake ducts because the brakes are used so much within the many braking zones across the lap.
“However each can hamper aerodynamic effectivity, inflicting extra drag and hurting straight-line pace, in order that’s a stability it’s essential to strike.
“As for the drivers, taking up numerous fluid earlier than the race is essential to stop dehydration as a result of that may have an effect on focus, which may result in errors – and Singapore punishes even minor ones severely due to the shut proximity of the partitions.
“Lance and Fernando can be making an attempt to maintain themselves as cool as potential, in order that they’ll put on the FIA-approved cooling vests to control their inner temperature.
“It is a actually bodily and mentally demanding weekend for the drivers. It is also actually intense for everybody else within the group, each trackside and again at base within the AMR Expertise Campus. However it’s, no doubt, one of the thrilling of Grands Prix of the 12 months and a improbable spectacle beneath the lights.”
