The Rt Hon. Peter Kyle MP, UK cabinet member and Secretary of State for Business and Trade, visited the AMR Technology Campus as the team showcased our new, state-of-the-art, purpose-built facility, and the valuable work being done in the fields of sustainability, recruitment and the promotion of STEM.
There was a busy programme for the Secretary of State, long a supporter of Formula One and a public advocate of the sport's broader economic and reputational value to the UK.
It included an immersive tour of the AMR Technology Campus to understand the technology and innovation that powers our team, meetings with those on our Early Careers programmes, and a business discussion on the crucial role of the UK in the international motorsport industry with Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, and representatives of F1.
The Secretary of State was also invited to take part in hot laps over the road at Silverstone Circuit, with Aston Martin Aramco Head of F1 ACADEMY and Driver Ambassador Jessica Hawkins at the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage, and sampled the skills required of our trackside team with a pitstop challenge at the AMR Technology Campus.
Under the leadership of Lawrence, our operation continues to expand, and the AMR Technology Campus is now home to more than 1,100 team members; a highly skilled workforce of engineers, designers and technical specialists, feeding into the region's growing reputation as an international hotspot for science and technology. The team is a crucial component of the high-tech 'motorsport valley' and a key contributor to the regional economy, with influence spreading well beyond the campus gates.
The tour took in our composites workshop and design offices, and highlighted the sustainable design of the facility.
While on the tour, the Secretary of State also had the opportunity to meet the apprentices and graduates in our Early Careers programmes. Since Aston Martin returned to the F1 grid in 2021, a key focus of the team has been to break down barriers to the sport and use the appeal of F1 to inspire young people in the pursuit of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
As part of our responsible Make A Mark business initiatives, the team has delivered inclusion-focused programmes and events reaching more than 300 participants, reinforcing commitment to diversity and community engagement. This includes working with The Aleto Foundation on its Leadership Programme, where students from underrepresented backgrounds take part in an extended mentorship with the team. This has felt highly rewarding for us, but has also been very successful.
The team has continually demonstrated a strong commitment to finding and developing future talent, going out on the road to schools, colleges and universities with roadshows and static displays. The ultimate expression, however, is the people we bring into the business, for work experience, for apprenticeships and onto the graduate scheme. It was these people that Peter Kyle, also a former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, and himself a passionate advocate of STEM, was keen to meet.
The final activity on the tour was a go at our pitstop challenge under the guidance of Sporting Director Andy Stevenson. This experience is usually travelling the world, allowing fans – with a little bit of coaching from the pros – to try their hands at changing wheels on a real F1 car. There's a little less stress than during the real thing, but the equipment is entirely authentic.
"Today has been a completely inspiring experience," said The Rt Hon. Peter Kyle MP. "What Aston Martin Aramco has built here at the AMR Technology Campus is not just an F1 team, but a world-class centre of innovation that showcases the very best of British engineering, ambition and investment. Facilities like this simply don't exist anywhere else in the world and that's something we as a country should be incredibly proud of.
"The UK is the global leader in motorsport innovation, and this campus is one of the clearest examples of why. At the heart of 'motorsport valley' are 5,400 companies in the supply chain and 50,000 people working in it, forming a world-leading ecosystem that drives technological progress far beyond the track and into the wider automotive sector and British economy.
"What struck me most at the AMR Technology Campus was the people – the scale, the diversity, and the blend of experience. From apprentices and graduates starting their careers to experts with decades in the industry, everyone here is working towards absolute precision and performance.
"The unique challenge of F1 inspires and attracts some of the world's brightest graduates to begin their careers here, pushing boundaries and thinking differently from day one. That culture of excellence creates skills, ideas and standards that benefit the entire country.
"F1 represents the pinnacle of engineering and innovation. We know what Silicon Valley in the US does for the tech sector and we need to think of F1 in the same terms. It's a national asset and it plays a vital role in securing the UK's position as a global leader in innovation for years to come."
Exploring the AMR Technology Campus
Take a closer look as The Rt Hon. Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pays a visit to our home.
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