Up to the test: Chief Engineer Chris Cronin talks F1 pre-season testing, his new role and maximising every moment
New car. New season. New job. It's been a relentless start to the year for Aston Martin Aramco Chief Engineer Chris Cronin. Before setting off for Melbourne and the opening race of the 2025 Formula One campaign, Chris reflects on pre-season testing, the demands of his new role, and takes a moment to look ahead to the Australian Grand Prix.
A new Formula One season draws near, with the team ready to embark on a campaign spanning five continents and comprising 24 Grands Prix.
Up first, the annual pilgrimage Down Under to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix: the first true opportunity to see how our new car, the AMR25, stacks up.
It will not, however, be the first time we've seen our 2025 challenger on track. A three-day test took place at the end of February, providing the opportunity to put it through its paces and analyse its strengths and areas for further improvement.
Following pre-season testing in a surprisingly chilly Bahrain, Chris Cronin explains what we've learned about our new car and sheds some light on his new role with the team, having run our pre-season schedule as Chief Engineer for the first time after stepping up from his position as Fernando Alonso's race engineer...
Chris, it was a busy three-day pre-season test and you and the team have been poring through the data ever since. Have you been able to pause for breath?
"Just about! Pre-season testing is always a very intense and busy period for the team. The objective is to test everything we set out to, and the challenge is to fit it into what's really quite a short period of time.
"You would always like more days of testing – that would be true for every team.
"We could easily fill run programmes for more days if the test was longer, so we have to really focus on what the most essential and important items are to test and make the most of every moment we have on track."
So what were the team's testing priorities in Bahrain?
"Aero is obviously a big focus for every team during testing. Testing the aerodynamic package involves trying different setup options around several base configurations, and we cycled through items like cooling, brake ducts, and wing level options.
"We focused on balancing the aero requirements of certain setups versus the tyre requirements of those setups, because often that balance will be different at different tracks, and we tried to replicate the wide range of challenges we'll face racing at 24 unique Grand Prix circuits.
"We use this data so we can go to any circuit and hone in on the right setup quickly. Track time during a race weekend is precious, so what we can learn now will save us time in the season.
"We didn't focus too much on pure tyre testing. Pirelli has introduced some different compound steps for this season which we tested in Abu Dhabi last year. There are now six dry tyre options available, varying in levels of grip and durability, and three of these options will be provided to the teams at each race weekend. We used the three hardest compounds available in Bahrain."
Did you test anything that you wouldn't normally test during a race weekend?
"We tried some fairly extreme setup items to explore the operating window of the new car; these are items that you wouldn't test at a race weekend because track time is so limited."
The team didn't just have to contend with a busy testing schedule this year...
"Yeah, the weather provided more of a challenge than previous years. It was a lot colder in Bahrain than usual, so we've factored that into our results. It was windy, too, but that's not uncommon at Bahrain International Circuit.
"There was a fair bit of moisture around, the rain was on and off, and that limited what the teams could do at times. But we got all our primary test items and aero checks done; it was certainly a productive three days."
Since returning from Bahrain, what has the team been doing with the data?
"Every test item gets reviewed initially at the track and then re-reviewed post-test in more detail to ensure we haven't missed anything.
"Back at the AMR Technology Campus, we've been getting more detailed analysis from the aero and other supporting departments. We've been using our time back at base to pull all that data together to make sure that we've drawn accurate conclusions from what we saw in testing, which is vital if we are to focus on the right areas to improve the car further.
"Meanwhile, the strategy team has been going through all the pace data, working out our performance level relative to our competitors."
Based on all the data from testing, what is the competitive order heading into the first race?
"We've got an idea, but you'll have to wait until Melbourne to find out – even then, you need a few Grands Prix at different types of circuits to get a true read on the competitive picture.
"As always in testing, you never really know for certain how fast you are relative to others and it's only when you get to the first qualifying session and race that you see where everyone is.
"Part of what makes the opening race weekend of the season so compelling is that everyone finally puts all their cards on the table and reveals their true pace. That's when you see the competitive order really take shape.
"The field looks to have closed up even more over the winter, which is not unsurprising given the stability we've had in the regulations over the past few years – the designs of the cars tend to converge.
"It's going to be very close this season. Small details are going to make big differences this year, so we need to make sure we maximise and optimise everything we can."
What have we learned about the AMR25 so far?
"We've made progress in some of the areas that we identified as key for finding laptime compared to last year's car, but there's still room for further work in some of the other areas.
"The results were largely as we were expecting. We didn't have any big surprises and the car is more driveable – which is what we set out to achieve over the winter.
"Giving the drivers time in the AMR25 was also hugely important. Lance and Fernando gave their feedback throughout the test, picking up on things that only drivers can as they're the ones behind the wheel. They were pleased with some aspects and identified areas for action on others, giving the constructive feedback that is so crucial to car development.
"Post-test, we've been in constant communication with them, and Lance has been back in the simulator, giving us a chance to go through the data with him and do some more correlation work."
Pre-season testing is always a significant moment in the year, but this was your first pre-season test as Chief Engineer. How was it?
"Stepping up from Race Engineer to Chief Engineer, I need to keep a broader view of what's going on. That's not too different from the role of race engineer, as you need to have a broad understanding of lots of areas to make the final decisions on car setup etc., but now I need to give more feedback to those at the AMR Technology Campus and manage those communications effectively. As Chief Engineer you're more of a point of contact, a bridge if you like, between the track and the team back at base.
"The role also involves running testing from an operational point of view, ensuring that discussions are constructive in meetings, and requests to test specific items, which come in from the various departments in the team, are all aligned and under control."
You had previously been a race engineer for five years. How easy is it to shift your mindset and approach for the new role?
"The challenge is making sure you let go of enough of the detail you used to do to ensure you've got the capacity and the brain space to cover the new areas of the job, and that change in approach doesn't just happen overnight. It's a challenge, but the same could be said for anyone stepping into a new role."
When did the team start plotting this year's pre-season plan?
"We started devising the programme from early in January. We looked at the early information we had on the new car, seeing how it was different to last year's car, and we received test requests from the different departments who wanted to see how their areas of the car would perform.
"Between myself and the other members of our engineering group, we put a general test plan together, fitting all the test items into the three days. The detailed run plans were then set by the race engineers, who were refining them right up to the start of running."
Once trackside, what were your duties?
"I led a lot of meetings. We had briefings every morning to outline the day's plan and debriefs with the drivers each evening to reflect on what we'd learnt. We also had meetings focused on car reliability and its build as we worked through different setups and test items. With so many people in the team, it's vital to structure these in a way that is efficient and gets everybody together at the right time.
"As for the run plans, the first day and a half was already pretty full before the test because we had identified the specific tests we needed get done. But then, towards the end of day two and on day three, the testing we did was based more on the results of the running we had done which showed what we needed to focus on more. That's when there are more detailed discussions at the track in terms of agreeing which areas we prioritise and dedicate remaining track time to."
On a personal level, how did you find it?
"I enjoyed running the test. Of course, it was hard work with long hours but that's the nature of working in F1. You've got to be flexible to deal quickly and efficiently with decisions and variables that get thrown at you throughout the test, and you've got to find a way to rest and switch off at night so you're at your best when at the track. It's an intense, busy period.
"It's not easy work, that's for sure, but we handled it well. A lot of us have been doing this for several years: we know what to expect and we all pull together, there's a real camaraderie inside the team. I'm pleased with how we met the challenge to execute our programme over the three days."
How will your role change at race weekends this year?
"The biggest change is that I will be concentrating on both cars instead of focusing more on just the one, making sure that both are aligned with setup and spec requirements and that both sides of the garage are collaborating towards the overall team goals. The latter isn't hard to achieve – everyone in this team works very well together."
And even though it's a Grand Prix weekend there will still be things to test...
"Always! We're constantly learning, iterating, improving. I will keep across the various test requests that come in over the weekend from the different departments in the team, making sure we're all aligned and have a clear steer on approach.
"And I will be running the engineering meetings again, making sure they're efficient and provide only the information that's really required. Track time and circuit-working time during a race weekend are very tight; we have to maximise every moment we're on the track.
"Every meeting, everything we do, needs to be as efficient as possible. It's my job to ensure that happens. Every second counts."
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