Engineering at Full Throttle: A Week With The Aston Martin F1 Team

writes By Prahil S. (L6)

From the moment I arrived, greeted by the stunning 2023 AMF1 show car, to being interviewed by 12 team members (including one known for his “TikTok career ladder" fame), every moment felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Highlights of the Week:

• Canada GP Debrief: A behind-the-scenes look at the Grand Prix debrief with team principal Andy Cowell, filmed by Netflix for Drive to Survive.
• AR Innovation: Trying on the augmented reality headset developed with Microsoft and exploring the 2026 spec F1 car.
• Learning Beyond the Track: Sessions on sustainability, logistics, partnerships, and the importance of personal branding in F1.
• Engineering Challenge: Beating most of my group in a drag race with a cardboard F1 car, enhanced by scissors-aero modifications!
• E-Sports Victory: Setting the fastest lap in the AM E-Sports sim room — 1:28.4 around Silverstone.
• Team Spirit: Intense table tennis battles, meaningful reflections on diversity in motorsport, and a culture of collaboration and excellence.

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who made this experience possible. Special thanks to Sienne Amer, Parveer K. R., Victoria Rowley, Helen C., Mark Gardiner, and Andy Cowell for taking time out of their busy schedules to speak with us. An even bigger thank you must also go to Georgia Kyffin and Emmelia Herd for making the week insightful, personal, and seriously fun.

The culture at AMF1 is unlike anything I’ve seen — performance-driven yet welcoming, intense yet collaborative. I’m feeling even more excited to pursue en