Andy Stevenson keeps on running.
Having risen through the ranks to Chief Mechanic before becoming Sporting Director in 2005, Andy has been with the team since its inception more than 30 years ago.
Now, about to embark on his 600th Grand Prix in Las Vegas, the longest-serving member of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team shares how his enduring love for the sport began, how he's stayed at the top of his game for more than three decades, and why he's not stopping any time soon.
Ahead of racing in the city that never sleeps, this is the man who never stops, in his own words…
'What do you want to do when you grow up?'
"My mother recently showed me some old paperwork she’d found from the school careers office and in response to the question I had written:
"'Work with fast cars and travel the world.'
"600 Grands Prix later I think I can safely say I ticked that box.
"I haven't reflected much on that number, 600, but it has made me feel quite old! In the '90s we were doing 16 or 17 races a year and now we're doing 24; you start clocking them up quite quickly.
"To me, my career still seems relatively short. I look back and can recall most of the seasons and even most of the races in quite a lot of detail; it's like they only happened yesterday. It's only when you sit down and say, 'That's from 1991 up until now', you realise how long it's been.
As a kid, I took things apart to try to improve them, to make them go faster.
"I grew up with a love of everything mechanical. It's a never-ending passion of mine.
"I have always been an F1 fan, though I wouldn't say I dreamt of being in the sport back when I was young. I was introduced to F1 by my father: my first memories are of James Hunt winning the World Championship in 1976.
"My path into F1 was through Eddie Jordan Racing. We had been competing in Formula Three and Formula 3000, which we won in 1989. Soon after, Eddie decided the team was ready to enter F1.
"For me, luckily, it wasn't really a question of being interviewed to get the job. Eddie asked people within the team who would be willing to take the risk and go with him into F1.
"And it was a huge risk.
"We were a very small team and F1, as it is now, was the pinnacle of motorsport. Eddie warned at the time it might not work out for us but, fortunately, it did.
"Back then, I probably didn't fully appreciate the opportunity that was being given to me. I felt like I was quite a small part of a team that was growing but, as it turns out, anybody who's a member of an F1 team is a very important part of it. As time goes on, you appreciate and understand that more.
Even after all these years, all these Grands Prix, I don't take what I do for granted.
"There are lots of people who would jump at the chance to work in F1, to do what I'm doing. You've got to make sure that you fulfil the role and that you're always delivering, always striving for excellence.
"I love having the opportunity to try to do a better job every single day. In some jobs, let's say you're designing an aircraft, it can be years until you see the results of your work, but in F1 a lot of the work you do, you see its impact pretty quickly.
"Yes, it can take a long time to become a championship-winning team, but if you focus every day – focus on doing something better, on improving – you can see the progress over time.
"You've got to keep challenging yourself. When I became a Chief Mechanic, I was quite nervous but I had a lot of people around me who had confidence in me and I thought, 'Well, if they believe I can do it, then I must be able to.' You must have confidence in your abilities, but it's equally important to consistently deliver results.
"You've also got to have that determination and competitive hunger inside you, always looking for ways to improve. If you haven't got that, you're never going to finish in front of the other teams.
"And you've got to be a little bit selfish. A career in F1 is not nine-to-five. It asks a lot of you but also your family and friends. Long hours, time on the road away from home, high pressure; you need those closest to you to understand all that, to support you, and almost come with you on the journey.
"I'm very fortunate to have a great group of friends who I've known for a long time, and my family have always supported me. Their support, their understanding, allows me to do the job – and that's good news for me because I don't know what else I would do!
I've worked with some amazing people and learnt so much from them, not least the drivers.
"By the time a driver gets in an F1 car for the first time, they're already a very special person. I've always been in awe of the drivers and their total commitment and passion for what they do.
"F1 drivers sacrifice so much to pursue their dream. What impresses me most about them is their consistency lap after lap. How they have the capacity to do that is phenomenal. It's like looking at the stars, it's hard to comprehend sometimes.
"As I've followed the F1 calendar around the globe over the years, I've made a lot of friends along the way who look after us and guide us in the countries we go to. For example, there's Adriano, our local fixer in Brazil, who gives us advice on how to navigate São Paulo, a very vibrant and exciting city. And there's Paul in Japan who has helped us through some challenging times.
"I'm often asked, 'What's your favourite race?' The answer is all of them. Each track has its standout features. Some are in amazing locations, like the Red Bull Ring in Austria which is nestled in the foothills of the Styrian Alps, or there are circuits like Silverstone that are rich in history and really push an F1 car to its absolute limit.
"The travel makes the job so interesting. Places like Monza, Suzuka, Monaco, Melbourne, they're like second homes to me. When we go back to Melbourne, I know the place inside out. I'm telling taxi drivers which roads to take because I've been there so many times. And as for Monaco, I've probably spent over a year of my life there.
"When you return to race in these places, you don't feel like you're in a strange environment. You recognise everything: the hotels, the restaurants, the people.
"I love travelling and, strangely enough, I love airports. I don't like security queues or passport control but I love airports. I love the excitement of not just where we're going, but where everybody else is going.
"On every trip, my excitement is building at the airport, and I think that's probably why I still am happy to go to all the races; I enjoy every single aspect of what we do.
I never want to stop.
"Working in a high-pressure environment and travelling a lot means it's vital to keep yourself healthy, however. I've always tried to keep myself fit. I've always enjoyed running. I used to run competitively as a kid, I wasn't that great but I enjoyed it, and running is something I use to de-stress now.
"I'll run at least two or three times on a race weekend, usually away from the track because I know most of them like the back of my hand, but if it's a new circuit I will run it to familiarise myself.
"I like to get up in the morning before we go to the circuit and run, so when I get to the track I have a clear mind ready to focus on the day ahead.
"When we're back at the AMR Technology Campus and I head home from work, I wind down on the journey and, once I'm there, I switch off. I make a point of not thinking about anything that's happened during the day. I'll watch some TV or listen to music, just to completely zone out and go to bed with a clear head. You need time to relax and let your body and mind recover because you can't sleep well with a head full of thoughts.
"And when I wake up in the morning, wherever I am in the world, the first thing I do is have a strong espresso. Then I'm ready to get back into action. Ready for the challenges ahead. Ready for the next Grand Prix.
"Ready for the next 600."
Reflecting on 600 Grands Prix
Watch as Andy looks back on his astonishing Formula One career.
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