Lance Stroll, Aston Martin, Red Bull Ring, 2021

Aston Martin poach another Red Bull aerodynamicist

2021 Austrian Grand Prix

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Aston Martin have made a second high-profile signing from Red Bull’s aerodynamics department, hiring Andrew Alessi as their new head of technical operations.

Last week they announced that their rivals’ head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows would be joining, and Aston Martin have also attracted Luca Furbatto from Alfa Romeo to be the director of their engineering department as executive chairman Lawrence Stroll sets out to bring his team to the front of the Formula 1 grid.

Alessi has been at Red Bull since 2008. He spent his first four years there as head of aerodynamic design, during which time the team went from being an occasional podium threat to a winner of consecutive world championship titles.

“Two weeks ago we announced the hiring of Luca Furbatto as our new engineering director, who will start work for us in due course,” said Aston Martin team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

“Last week, Dan Fallows’ forthcoming arrival as our new technical director was also made public.

“Today, Andrew Alessi is added to the impressive list of our senior technical/engineering hirings, as head of technical operations. Ours is a great team, and it always has been.”

Alessi in his new Aston Martin kit
Szafnauer added that the “expert and experienced new arrivals” to Aston Martin’s staff roster “represent proof that we are building the technical/engineering strength in depth that we need” to deliver on Stroll’s title-fighting ambitions.

From 2012 to 2018, Alessi’s role at Red Bull was an aerodynamics engineer, with a brief spell after that as a project leader for the department before becoming the aerodynamics design, production and operations manager until the end of last month. His social media accounts have already been updated to reflect he has started work at Aston Martin.

“Like everyone in and around F1, I have seen and been impressed by the evident ambition of the team I am joining, led as it is now by Lawrence Stroll, and I am very much looking forward to working with Otmar Szafnauer as well as the very capable technical and engineering-focused members of the senior management team,” said Alessi.

“Now is a fantastic time to be joining a team that is growing fast, and I am ready to get stuck in straight away so as to contribute to the process of making the significant aerodynamic and operational improvements that we need in order to win consistently in the future.”

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Ida Wood
Often found in junior single-seater paddocks around Europe doing journalism and television commentary, or dabbling in teaching photography back in the UK. Currently based...

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11 comments on “Aston Martin poach another Red Bull aerodynamicist”

  1. Aston Martin lure Red Bull aero guy, Red Bull poach Merc PU guy.
    Hats off to Lawrence Stroll. He really is a great businessman.

    1. Everything is a make or buy decision

  2. “Last week, Dan Fallows’ forthcoming arrival as our new technical director was also made public.

    What does this mean for Andrew Green? I know he is Chief Technical Officer, but does it seems like there are now two technical chiefs and that something will have to give.

    1. I think it said in a previous article he had been promoted and Dan would report to him

      1. Thanks. This has a similar look to the Ross Brawn / Paddy Lowe situation at Mercedes in 2013/2014 so I get the feeling that the writing may be on the wall for Green.

  3. Coventry Climax
    1st July 2021, 12:38

    “Like everyone in and around F1, I have seen and been impressed by the evident ambition of the team I am joining, …”
    Apparently, I’m not everyone.
    I’m sure, and certainly in these cases, the unit of ‘ambition’ is dollars, and the ‘evident’ just means lots of them.

    Not that it’s much or any different from other teams, but somehow it just seems so blatant. There’s absolutely nothing sympathetic or inspiring about mr. Stroll senior. Which is a pity because -to my opinion- AM make very british, beautiful, stylish cars, as opposed to cold german or hot-shot italian.

    1. pastaman (@)
      1st July 2021, 13:23

      Not sure what you mean, this is a regular occurrence in F1. Like, every year.

      1. I agree, this is how many sports work. Look at football for another example…

  4. While all this is well and good, I truly believe that Otmar is not up to the job of bringing the team to the top. They need a new figure who knows how to do that, and someone like Andreas Seidl would be beneficial to them more than Otmar. That’s the change Aston Martin need to make.

    1. Vasseur is available on a months notice

  5. playstation361
    2nd July 2021, 14:56

    People saw a lot of Red Bull when they dominated.

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