Aston Martin says its 2023 car will feature "a few clever innovations" thanks to its engineers identifying a small loophole in F1's technical regulations.
The Silverstone-based outfit will unveil its new AMR23 that will be raced this season by Lance Stroll and new recruit Fernando Alonso on February 13.
While there is a lot of anticipation around Alonso's presence, Aston's new car is also likely to also garner a lot of attention when it rolls out on the pitlane in Bahrain at the end of February after deputy technical director Eric Blandin offered a bit of a heads up on the AMR23's design.
"We've implemented a few clever innovations on the new car – they're the icing on the cake," Blandin said in an interview published on the Aston Martin website.
"They're a nice-to-have, but not a must-have.
Aston Martin deputy technical director Eric Blandin
"It's great when you find a small loophole and can use it to your advantage, but it's not often you can base an entire car around it. Instead, it's essential to get the basics right, and then you can add things.
"When you start a new car project, you identify what your limitations were the previous year – and how you can overcome them with the new design – and you define the architecture that will give you the most potential for the future.
"If you pursue the wrong concept, you can end up boxing yourself in – you run out of road for development – and that's a very difficult situation to get out of."
Unfortunately, Aston did just that last season when it unveiled its first new-generation car, the AMR22. The disappointing design led to a change of concept mid-season.
But Aston has taken away from last year a few good lessons and a lot of knowledge that have been applied to its all-new 2023 design.
"We took all our learnings from last year's car and applied them to this year's car," added Blandin. "So much of the AMR23 is new, it's completely different from the AMR22.
"We've changed more than 90 per cent of the parts and more than 95 per cent of the aerodynamic surfaces are different."
Blandin also made clear that Aston – contrary to some of its rival - will reveal its actual 2023-sepc car at its presentation at Silverstone on February 13.
"We will unveil the actual car, just as we did last year," he said.
"The car we reveal at our new factory in Silverstone on 13 February will be the real AMR23. We're not going to disappoint fans."
Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll has been vocal since the beginning about his outfit's ambitions. And Blandin says the team's big aspirations are now supported by the belief that Team Silverstone is on the right path.
"It's coming together: the car, the people, the resources," he says. "
"You can feel the energy. Even if we don't get it right this year or next year, or don't make the step forward we're aiming for, we will eventually.
"There's a strong feeling, a belief, that we're on the right path. It's going to take a few years to become championship contenders, but soon we will have everything we need to be successful.
"There will be no excuses."
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