Cardile identifies the origin of the bipolarity of the Aston Martin AMR25

This year, Aston Martin has once again failed in its attempt to create a single-seater capable of being competitive on all circuits. Even after the successful updates in the first half of the season, the AMR25 has maintained a diagnosis that in psychiatric medicine is defined as bipolarity.

Bipolarity is a mood disorder that causes intense mood swings. At certain times, the patient feels extremely upbeat, euphoric, irritable, or energetic, known as a manic episode.

"Both can hinder aerodynamic efficiency, causing more drag and harming straight-line speed"

At other times, however, they suffer from a state of depression, sadness, indifference, or hopelessness known as a depressive episode. In particularly delicate cases, they may even experience manic and depressive symptoms simultaneously.

Bipolar disorder not only affects mood but also behavior, energy levels, and activity levels. And the truth is that the performance of the Aston Martin AMR25 this year resembles that condition painfully closely.

Enrico Cardile diagnoses the AMR25

Since his incorporation last July, Enrico Cardile has had time to observe and learn the peculiarities of this year's car and also how Aston Martin operates.

The Italian engineer, technical director replacing Dan Fallows, admits that with this year's AMR25 nothing can be assured with certainty, but there are certain signs that allow predicting its mood at each circuit.

"Obviously, you can never be totally sure how it will perform every race weekend because there are many variables at play, but circuits with high aerodynamic load tend to suit the AMR25 better and Singapore is one of them," points out the former Ferrari employee.

"In Baku, we saw how a low aerodynamic load circuit can pose challenges, but in Monza, another low aerodynamic load circuit, we had a better pace than perhaps we expected, which shows that nothing is guaranteed," adds Cardile, optimistic about Singapore.

"We believe Singapore will be a circuit that suits our car quite well, but we will only start to see our true pace in Marina Bay once the car hits the track in free practice," he states, before delving into the causes of the AMR25's 'illness'.

Ground clearance, a determining factor

Since the current technical regulations were introduced, based on the ground effect, teams have learned that the ground clearance of the single-seater is key to determining the performance of each car. However, each of them has a variable level of sensitivity, and in the case of Aston Martin this is extreme.

Cardile points out that "the circuit where we have faced the greatest challenges this year is Spa-Francorchamps, which is not only a low aerodynamic load track similar to Baku and Monza, but also presents challenges in quite unique corners, such as Eau Rouge and Raidillon, which force us to maintain a minimum ride height to avoid bottoming out.

"This aspect alters the performance of our car. It is a common behavior in this generation of cars and can vary from car to car," the Italian elaborates.

Therefore, for Aston Martin, it is not as simple as stating that low aerodynamic load circuits will go poorly due to requiring a high top speed that the AMR25 does not have due to generating excessive drag, but also factors such as the state of the asphalt, the type of curbs, or the elevation changes in corners influence.

Heat in Singapore

At the Marina Bay street circuit, Aston Martin will encounter very bumpy asphalt and the need for very high aerodynamic load levels. But, in addition, it will run a high risk of suffering from overheating. What is the cause? High temperatures and very high humidity.

This will impact the aerodynamics, as it will be necessary to adapt the bodywork to the environmental conditions, as Enrico Cardile explains. "In terms of the car, you walk a fine line between keeping it cool and aerodynamic efficiency."

"To control the car's temperatures, we can open the ventilation grilles of the engine cover and the sidepods to allow more hot air to escape. And use larger brake ducts, as the brakes are used a lot at this circuit," he adds.

"But both can hinder aerodynamic efficiency, causing more drag and harming straight-line speed, so it is necessary to find a balance," he continues.

This will also affect the drivers, who will experience the most physically demanding weekend of the season. "Drinking plenty of fluids before the race is very important to avoid dehydration, as it can affect concentration and lead to mistakes, and Singapore punishes even the slightest with severity due to the proximity of the walls," Cardile reminds.

"Lance [Stroll] and Fernando [Alonso] will try to stay as cool as possible, so they will use FIA-approved cooling vests to regulate their internal temperature," he reveals, before concluding by anticipating the demands of this weekend for the entire team.

"It is a physically and mentally demanding weekend for the drivers. It is also very intense for the rest of the team, both on track and at the AMR Technology Campus. But it is undoubtedly one of the most exciting Grands Prix of the year and a fantastic spectacle under the lights," concludes Cardile.

Fotos: Aston Martin F1