Aston Martin: No disadvantage taking customer Mercedes F1 engine
Aston Martin's technical director Dan Fallows insists the Formula 1 team is not losing out by using a Mercedes customer engine.
Team owner Lawrence Stroll has ambitions to challenge for the world championship in the coming years, which would mean beating the works Mercedes team with the same engine.
Traditionally top teams prefer to be in charge of their own destiny by having control over power unit development and the capability for the engineers to work closely with the chassis department.
Stroll has hinted in the past that Aston Martin could have its own engine, but there are no plans to create one for the 2026 regulations.
Fallows says that using the Mercedes won't blunt the team's ambitions.
"I don't feel that is," he said when asked if a customer engine was a barrier to progress. "I certainly don't feel that having the Mercedes HPP engine in our car has been in any way negative for us.
"I think it has proved its reliability, its performance is where it needs to be. I don't really think in modern F1 that is a problem at all."
Aston Martin currently takes the complete rear end from Mercedes, including the gearbox and suspension components that are allowed to be shared by teams under the listed parts regulations.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR22, battles with Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR22
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Fallows acknowledged that the team may opt to build more in-house in the future.
"I think we're pretty open-minded about that kind of thing. As I said, I think what this team has gained from its relationship with MGP has been immense.
"And as we move into the future and do things our own way or take on our own projects, we're very mindful that we have to be able to do them at least as well as, if not better than they do.
"That's a capability we would have to build up before we even thought about making those decisions."
Asked if that could include the team building up the capacity to build its own gearbox in future years Fallows said: "I don't know. Honestly, what we look at in the future is all open, really.
"Lawrence is very open about his ambitions for this team, and I think we always have to evaluate what is the next thing that will help us become more competitive.
"At the moment, I don't see any of the stuff that we get from MGP is holding us back in any way."
Related video
Ferrari announces launch date for 2023 Formula 1 car
Mercedes felt like it had "ghost in the car", says Hamilton
Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka
Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka
Nakajima: Hirakawa McLaren deal not precursor to Toyota F1 return
Nakajima: Hirakawa McLaren deal not precursor to Toyota F1 return Nakajima: Hirakawa McLaren deal not precursor to Toyota F1 return
Why a Mercedes U-turn couldn't deny Sauber's F1 debut surprise
Why a Mercedes U-turn couldn't deny Sauber's F1 debut surprise Why a Mercedes U-turn couldn't deny Sauber's F1 debut surprise
Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka
Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka Hamilton: Lack of rear downforce leaves W14 on "knife-edge" at Suzuka
BTCC Silverstone: Rookie Doble takes shock pole
BTCC Silverstone: Rookie Doble takes shock pole BTCC Silverstone: Rookie Doble takes shock pole
Are Red Bull and Ferrari on back foot for potential F1 Japanese GP tyre wrecker?
Are Red Bull and Ferrari on back foot for potential F1 Japanese GP tyre wrecker? Are Red Bull and Ferrari on back foot for potential F1 Japanese GP tyre wrecker?
Marquez will take Honda's interests into account while finalising MotoGP future
Marquez will take Honda's interests into account while finalising MotoGP future Marquez will take Honda's interests into account while finalising MotoGP future
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation How Tsunoda has eliminated a crucial F1 limitation
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again How McLaren has revamped its F1 team to become a contender again
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge Why precedent doesn’t favour Massa’s F1 legal challenge
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius Why Sainz’s Singapore F1 success was not just about DRS genius
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP The signs that suggest an immediate Red Bull resurgence in F1's Japanese GP
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake The lessons Russell can take from his "two-centimetre" Singapore F1 mistake
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023 Singapore Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2023
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak The Singapore secrets that helped Sainz end Verstappen's F1 winning streak
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.