Aston Martin remove at least seven F1 design staff

Aston Martin have removed at least seven staff from their Formula 1 design department as part of a restructure before the 2026 season.

Among those to leave the F1 team is Eric Blandin, who was recruited from Mercedes as deputy technical director in 2022 but since the start of this year has been serving as aerodynamics director.

An Aston Martin spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on internal matters and we don’t have anything to announce yet.

“However, we are going through a technical restructure ahead of the 2026 season which will be announced in the near future.”

Some of the staff leaving the F1 programme may be retained in other parts of the Aston Martin motorsport business.

The group also owns an advanced technologies division, where former chief technical officer Andrew Green was moved before the 2023 season.

Design legend Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner in March this year and is leading the team’s 2026 car design.

The team have also recruited former Ferrari chassis technical director Enrico Cardile, who started work in August after leaving Ferrari in July 2024.

Among the factors behind the restructure is the need to stay within F1’s cost cap. All salaries of people who work on the design of the car are included within the cost cap, apart from those of the three highest-paid executives.

Aston Martin has been through an extensive recruitment drive in recent years as they seek to turn themselves into world title contenders.

Among those recruited by billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, in addition to Newey and Cardile, is team principal and chief executive officer Andy Cowell, who was formerly the head of Mercedes’ engine company, HPP.