Seven staff removed in Aston Martin F1 design team shake-up

Aston Martin have removed at least seven staff from their design team as part of a restructure ahead of F1’s new regulation era. 

Crash.net understands the turnover of staff has occurred with Aston Martin looking to maximise 2026 - when new power unit and technical rules are introduced.

It is understood some of the figures leaving F1 operations are in discussions about taking up other non-F1 roles within the wider Aston Martin group, such as advanced technologies.

F1 teams have to prioritise their focus in the cost cap era, and Aston Martin are trying to best prepare themselves to meet their lofty ambitions of becoming world championship contenders in the coming years.

Following an extensive recruitment drive in recent years, Aston Martin need to stay within F1’s cost cap, which includes all salaries of people who work on the design of the car.

Only the three highest-paid members are excluded from the cost cap.

When approached by Crash.net about the changes, Aston Martin stressed there was nothing to publicly announce.

“We don’t comment on internal staff matters and we don’t have anything to announce,” a team spokesperson said.

Who has left? 

BBC Sport have reported that Eric Blandin, who joined as deputy technical director from Mercedes in 2022, is among those to depart, along with former chief designer Akio Haga.

The staffing reshuffle has come under the leadership of CEO and team principal Andy Cowell, and managing technical partner Adrian Newey, who is spearheading the design of Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger.

Aston Martin’s 2026 car will be powered by Honda as part of a factory engine partnership that will see the Silverstone-based squad operate as a works’ outfit.

Current drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are under contract until the end of the 2026 F1 season.

Aston Martin are seventh in the constructors’ championship, just three points behind sixth-placed Racing Point with four races remaining.