Aston Martin has unveiled the AMR24 car that the team will compete with during the 2024 Formula 1 season as it bids to build on a promising campaign last term.
The Silverstone-based squad had registered successive finishes of seventh place since morphing into Aston Martin from its previous moniker as Racing Point back in 2021.
However, Aston Martin capitalised on a resurgent opening to the previous season to accrue 255 more points than it had in 2022 to rise to fifth in the Constructors’ standings.
But the British marque had begun the campaign as Red Bull’s nearest contender and a regular podium scorer until the side encountered side effects from upgrades.
Having managed to understand its issues towards the end of the season, Aston Martin heads into 2024 aiming to become a more established challenger at the sharp end.
Aston Martin presented its latest iteration F1 machine at its Silverstone base in a trio of reveals alongside the new Vantage road car and Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
The design scheme comprises the traditional British Racing Green with branding from title partner Aramco on a car that has been detailed as an evolution of its predecessor.
Aston Martin enters the season with the same driver line-up of Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso, who was responsible for landing all eight of the team’s 2023 podiums.
Mike Krack remains at the helm and has become the third longest-serving team boss on the grid after Guenther Steiner’s Haas exit despite being appointed two years ago.
“We are proud to debut the AMR24,” said Krack. “It is the result of a huge effort by the whole team at our new AMR Technology Campus and it will allow the team to take another step forward in 2024.
“Since the last race in 2023, everyone has been hyperfocused on improvements in every area, concentrating our efforts on what really makes a difference, what really matters to be better.
“Almost every area of the car has been refined and improved, building on our strengths, and taking on board the lessons of the previous campaign. 2023 was our best season to date and our goal this season is to score regular points, podiums, and fight for our first win in green.”
Alonso, who will surpass 400 starts in F1 this year, replaced the retiring Sebastian Vettel and accumulated 206 points in total to record his strongest season in 10 years.
Meanwhile, Stroll, son of co-owner Lawrence, has been associated with the side since 2019 but struggled last season after missing pre-season testing with broken wrists.
Although he started the campaign on an encouraging note, the Canadian endured a wretched run in the middle of the year and trailed a sizeable 132 points behind Alonso.
“I am incredibly proud of this team and what has been achieved in such a short space of time,” Alonso expressed. “Not only the progress on the track, but the investment in all areas offtrack at the AMRTC.
“I always enjoy this feeling at the start of a new campaign, with this season marking my 21st as a racing driver in Formula One.
“The whole team has worked flat-out on getting the AMR24 ready for the new season, but there are so many questions to answer in testing and the first few races. I am excited to get in the cockpit and start my second season in green.”
Stroll added: “There has been a real buzz around the AMRTC this winter. We’re still a young team, but we’re growing up fast. There’s that hunger and belief when you walk around the campus – a credit to all of the amazing people working here.
“We all want to push on from what we achieved last year, especially in the final part of the season when we made some strong progress – learning more about the car.
“I think that sets us up nicely for the new season and I can’t wait to get going.”
Felipe Drugovich, the 2022 Formula 2 champion, will continue in a reserve driver role alongside ex-McLaren racer Stoffel Vandoorne, who also competes in Formula E.
Aside from a renewed competitiveness on the track, last season also marked a historic moment for Aston Martin as it moved into its brand-new state-of-the-art headquarters.
A separate wind tunnel is in the process of being constructed and is set to be operational in time for development on the team’s 2025 car, while the original base – which had been in use since 1992 – is being replaced with a facility on the existing area.