Aston Martin aiming for Fallows to start new role by early 2022

Aston Martin says it hopes new technical director Dan Fallows will be able to start his new role by the first race of the 2022 season.

The Silverstone-based outfit announced back in June it had signed Fallows from Red Bull where he is currently head of aerodynamics.

But while Aston hoped Fallows would join in time for Formula 1’s rule revolution next year, Red Bull made it clear he wouldn’t be leaving until his contract at the team runs out in 2023.

It has led to both teams entering negotiations, which are still ongoing, with Aston aiming to have Fallows on board in the “first quarter” of 2022.

Asked if Fallows would begin as technical director by the start of next season, Aston Martin F1 boss Otmar Szafnauer said, as quoted by Motorsport.com: “Our aim is to to get him to start ASAP and sometime in the first quarter of next year.

“So if it’s the start of next season, that is in the first quarter of next year. So hopefully, in that timeframe, we’ll be able to have him start.”

Fallows played a key part in Red Bull’s run of dominance at the start of the 2010s, and Szafnaeur is clear his arrival is a major factor in its ambition to become a title contender.

“Things haven’t slowed down in the recruitment,” said Szafnauer. “But unless they’re very senior, we don’t we don’t announce everybody. We’ve hired over 150 people this year, and we will continue to hire.

“If we want to win a World Championship in four years’ time it does take human resource, infrastructure, factory, wind tunnel, just like the top teams, and we’re on that trajectory to do that.

“And yeah, in the background, we’re still negotiating on Dan’s start time or date. And once that’s known, we’ll let everybody know.”

Szafnauer also confirmed another one of Aston’s major signings Luca Furbatto – who joins as its new engineering director from Alfa Romeo – is due to link up with the team soon.

“Luca will be with us within weeks,” he said. “Yes, he was announced. But you know, just like everybody they’ve got their notice periods to, to work out and all those. So within weeks, Luca will be free to start with us.”