Andy Cowell has drawn up an initial assessment of his two months spent at the head of Aston Martin F1, of which he became CEO at the end of last year.
In recent days, he has also inherited the role of team principal in place of Mike Krack, and he is pleased to see the work being done behind the scenes in the Silverstone team.
“Excited. I'm still as excited as I was on my first day with the team. But it's a big responsibility. Aston Martin is an iconic brand” said the new director.
“A lot of history, a lot of investment and a fantastic group of partners who are as hungry for success as we are. I was welcomed with open arms by everyone on the team, and the only thing everyone has in common is the will to win.”
He also discovered who Lawrence Stroll is, owner of the team to whom he reports: “I have gotten to know Lawrence better since I started working with him. He is passionate about Aston Martin and wants to make his vision for the company a reality.”
“His message is clear and I wouldn't have it any other way – you always know where you stand with Lawrence. Whatever Lawrence does in life, he wants to succeed. He wants to win. He's a winner “If you look at what Lawrence has accomplished throughout his career, sooner or later success follows.”
“It's not a coincidence. It's the result of his unwavering drive to be the best. Lawrence is determined for Aston Martin to be successful in Formula 1, but we're not just talking about winning races and the championship, we're talking about winning a lot of championships.”
And Cowell is directly responsible for materializing Stroll Sr's goals: “Building a world champion team is our North Star. Everything we discuss relates to what is needed to make this vision a reality.”
“My job is to determine what is the right organization to achieve this vision. Do we have the right structure? Do we have the right people in the right places? Do we have the right infrastructure? Is everyone pulling in the same direction and working as a cohesive unit?
“I set the overall goals for the leadership team and work with them to establish a path forward to achieve those goals that aim to get us to where we want to be.”
-“I'm making sure we prioritize the right things and work in the right order. Lawrence has put a lot of trust in me to lead this team to the front of the grid. It's a great lesson in humility and a great privilege.”
The former Mercedes engine director explains how he will rebuild everything: “By breaking things into small pieces. You work on it little by little. Motorsport is great for having clear deadlines – you know when the first race of the season is, you know what you're aiming for.”
“At first you wonder how you're going to get there. But as you progress, you look back and realize how far you've come. It's extremely rewarding and reinforces the belief that what 'we thought impossible is actually possible.'
“That's where the excitement comes from. It's okay to set a goal that you don't know how to achieve when you set out – a goal that people think impossible in terms of time and performance. It's then a matter of breaking things down.”
If he doesn't worry about leaving his comfort zone, he knows he will discover another world: “Everyone wants the fastest car, but the only way to get it is to set very ambitious goals. That's what we came to do – there's no point in designing and building a car of F1 which is not the fastest.”
“That fear you feel. That unknown. That trepidation. That question mark about the possibility of doing something. That's where you have to act, because it's by venturing into unexplored territories, by going beyond what has been done before, that you surpass your competitors. Formula 1 is about competitive ingenuity.
“The people who practice this sport are pioneers. You have to be if you want to achieve the ambition of becoming world champion. And that is our ambition. In no sport is it easy to become champion You have to work hard. It's not enough to have ideas that no one else has had, you have to make them work.”
“And it's intimidating because, if you're truly a pioneer and you use your ingenuity, there's no reference point: you can't look at someone else and say, 'They 'made it work, so it must be possible' But for me, that's what's really exciting. That's what makes this job, this sport, so exciting.
