Aston Martin 'still working' on start time for Fallows

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Aston Martin says it has yet to agree with Red Bull a start date for future technical director Dan Fallows, but team boss Otmar Szafnauer was unconcerned by an eventual prolonged wait.

Red Bull announced the departure of its head of aerodynamics out of the blue on Friday, without any concertation with Fallows future employer Aston Martin.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said that Fallows would leave Milton Keynes at the end of his current contract but suggested that he wouldn't be joining Aston "within the next couple of years".

"We announced yesterday the restructuring, and we were going to announce Dan in due course, but we don’t control what Red Bull do," Szafnauer said in Friday's team principal's media conference.

"I’m grateful that they announced Dan. He’s a great addition to our team. He’s a like-minded individual, he’s a high performer, he’s won world championships, he knows Seb [Vettel].

"So we look forward to Dan joining."

Read also: Red Bull head of aero Fallows to become Aston Martin tech boss

Addressing Horner's comment that Fallows wouldn't be joining Team Silverstone anytime soon, Szafnauer said the deal was "100 per centsigned, sealed, delivered" and that it was "just a matter of the timing".

"The start time, we’re still working on that," he added. "It’s a marathon, it’s not a sprint.

"I think the important thing is that we get the right people. You’d rather have the right people in your team as opposed to getting someone very quickly but it doesn't work out.

"So the process is to identify like-minded individuals that are high performing and get them into the team. If we have to wait a little bit, that’s the process."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.