Aston Martin signs ex-McLaren F1 boss Martin Whitmarsh

Whitmarsh spent 25 years with McLaren before leaving the team in 2014.

During his years with McLaren, he held the positions of McLaren Group CEO and team principal, overseeing various title successes.

The 63-year-old hasn’t been involved in F1 since his departure from the Woking-based outfit but will make his return from October 1 with Aston Martin.

He joins as Group CEO for Aston Martin’s Performance Technologies division which will “encompass the brand’s F1 activities and will also develop, apply and take to market the Group’s technical capabilities and intellectual property, with the aim of providing best-in-class innovation, engineering, testing and manufacturing services across a variety of key industry sectors.”

Speaking of the announcement, Whitmarsh said: “I am delighted to have been appointed by Lawrence [Stroll] to the position of Group Chief Executive Officer of the new Aston Martin Performance Technologies, from October 1.

“I have known and admired Lawrence for many years, and I have always been extremely impressed by his formidable business acumen and his seemingly inexhaustible ambition. Equally, I have always respected ‘Team Silverstone’, if I can call it that, which has often punched above its weight under its various previous incarnations, and which now has the weight with which to punch harder than ever before.

“Lawrence intends Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team to win Formula 1 World Championships, plain and simple, and I would not have joined him in that endeavour unless I was utterly convinced that it was an entirely achievable aim. I know what it takes to win in Formula One, and, inspired by Lawrence’s leadership and backed by the skill, passion and resolve of the workforce, I intend to do whatever I can to make sure that our team becomes the winning operation that Lawrence is determined that it should be.

“Last but far from least, I am very enthused about the formation of the new Aston Martin Performance Technologies, under which corporate umbrella Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 Team will sit, and I am excited about the prospect of developing and applying our technical capabilities and intellectual property as a successful and profitable new business.”

With Aston Martin eyeing title success in the future, owner Lawrence Stroll is confident Whitmarsh’s experience will help the team achieve its objectives.

“Martin will enjoy senior leadership responsibility and will assist and support me in setting the new strategic direction for Aston Martin Performance Technologies and its subsidiaries, including the crucial objective of leading the transformation of Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 Team into a Formula 1 World Championship-winning organisation within the next four to five years, and evolving it into a £1 billion business over a similar time period,” Stroll added.

“Martin has enjoyed a long, successful and high-profile career, spanning the motorsport, automotive, aerospace, marine and renewable energy sectors. Moreover, he is a proven winner in F1. He is, therefore, the ideal person for the job of working with me and our senior management team to lead and inspire our workforce to future success both on and off track.”