As Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team continues construction of its new campus on land adjacent to the legendary Silverstone Grand Prix circuit, our partners at JCB have cooked up a unique capsule that will be buried deep beneath the foundations.
For adventure seekers, digging into the earth has always been a source of bounty and excitement. Whether you're an archaeologist, a scientist or just an enthusiastic treasure seeker, who knows what lies beneath your feet?
And while our land still continues to surprise us with fresh treasure, there's often just as much adventure in burying our present beneath the surface for it to be discovered afresh by generations far into the future.
The notion of the trusty time capsule is nothing new; for centuries, the earth has been yielding treasures from the past that have laid dormant for decades.
Now, at Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team, as we embark upon the construction of an all-new Formula One factory and campus, comprising the team's headquarters, engineering and manufacturing resource and its own wind tunnel, we are also burying our very own time capsule beneath the foundations – leaving it safely locked and hidden for another 50 years.
A team that will truly stand on the shoulders of our amazing fans.
JCB digs deep on Silverstone factory site
Construction giant commissions young engineers to design unique time capsule.
JCB constructs 50-year time capsule
The time capsule project has been led by team partner JCB, an iconic British brand whose distinctive bright yellow machinery is a regular sight on construction sites worldwide.
JCB entrusted the design of the capsule to its graduates and apprentices, who took to the task with relish. They created two potential designs for the structure, each distinctive in its own way and reflective of the Aston Martin brand and its racing heritage.
Two designs selected for fan vote
The first features a vee-angle racing engine, complete with chromed exhaust pipes, a compartmentalised internal structure and laser-engraved map of the team's neighbouring Silverstone Circuit.
The second is a recreation of a modern Formula One chassis – complete with integrated roll-hoop and Halo. Again, it's decorated with the Silverstone layout and with a Union Jack flag.
We asked Team Principal Mike Krack and Engineering Director Tom McCullough to evaluate the designs, with each vouching for a personal favourite and suggesting unique contemporary items from their work lives that could be placed within the capsule.
Both designs are robust and secure, with particular attention paid to the long and arduous task they must perform keeping memories waterproof and safe underground until the capsule is opened in 2072 – an incredible 50 years from now.
Your chance to vote
Each final design will be featured on Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™ Team's Instagram Stories with a poll enabling fans to vote for their favourite.
The winning design will be constructed at JCB's Staffordshire headquarters and ceremonially buried on the site of the Silverstone factory later this year.
To cast your vote on which design will be buried at the site of our new factory, visit our official Instagram account, here.
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