Feature

16 Apr 2026

The tech guru swapping the slopes for Silverstone – meet Eric Ernst

From coding on a cassette-loaded computer to amplifying the technology stories behind elite sports teams, Eric Ernst's journey has been anything but linear. Joining Aston Martin Aramco as Commercial Technology Ambassador, he brings a rare blend of deep technical understanding, storytelling flair, and lived experience across some of the world's most demanding sporting environments.

A lifelong technologist shaped by snow-covered mountains, open oceans, and extreme sports, Eric's role is to connect, translate, and amplify the ecosystem of the technical partners powering our team.

In a sport where milliseconds matter and systems stretch across continents, Eric's mission is to make sense of the intricate and share that story. But let's start with his.

A connector in a complex world

"I've got a very cool and diverse role with the team," says Eric.

"Primarily, I act as a connector and translator across the complex ecosystem that is the team's technology partners. They're all at the cutting-edge, and my job is therefore to help the commercial team position them correctly and dig deeper into what each does individually.

"It's a role built not on building the technology itself, but on unlocking its value internally and externally.

"I'm in no way doing anything on technology strategy. That's really all Chief Information Officer Fabrizio Pilotti and his team. But I'm here to amplify that story, talk about how our technology ecosystem works and the great people involved, and shine a light on how that helps find car performance."

I want to deliver the facts so those who work for our tech partners can be proud of how they're integrated in the team.

Driven by curiosity

Born in Switzerland but raised partly in Oklahoma, Eric's early years were defined by curiosity and contrast, setting the foundations for the passions he still has now.

"I grew up in a place called Okemah, home of folk singer Woody Guthrie, and it was frankly the middle of nowhere; tornado alley. We moved back to Switzerland one winter and it was the first time in my life I saw snow.

"Swiss people are generally very sporty and do a lot of skiing, so my dad taught me. We were always on the slopes. From skiing came snowboarding, and from there, I got to know a group who were very much connected with surf culture as well.

"I grew up as a bit of a geek. I was programming and playing with computers and didn't have many friends, so that kind of gave me the kick to go outside. I loved it, and I've been fortunate enough to blend my biggest passions throughout my career since."

The story behind the speed

Eric's passion for adrenaline sports is clear – we'd recommend asking him about the time he was dangling 80 feet above water in the Bay of Valencia.

He's competed in the America's Cup, and also on the organisational side during spells at The Ocean Race and Formula E, tackling a variety of tech conundrums.

"In the America's Cup, the goal for me was to use tech to make the yacht faster – and in that sense there are parallels with F1.

"It is a brutal competition. You're in a regatta and it could be over tomorrow; you never know what's coming next. You're just one of a crew focused day in, day out on nothing but trying to win.

"What I really liked about working in that environment was the result was in the ranking. You're first or you're not and that's it. That's something I've really missed, but I feel like I'm coming back to that here. I have that passion of sharing a common goal and striving for success.

"And I can also take lessons from my time at The Ocean Race and Formula E, because there my focus was on engagement and helping audiences understand complex sports through technology, such as via TV graphics.

"In a sense, my role is similar to that of the team's driver ambassadors. I will attend events and share how the team uses different technologies, helping amplify that message to an array of audiences – some more technologically minded and some more general.

"And I want to deliver the facts so those who work for our tech partners can be proud of how they're integrated in the team."

If we can figure out how to empower some of the brightest minds here with AI, it'll be like a superpower.

Technology, human intuition, and the future of F1

In F1, there's always a story to tell. A sport relentlessly pushing boundaries, our technical partners enable that progress. Eric is keen to share the headlines now and in the future.

"Some of our partners have huge heritage in the space and bring swathes of expertise, but then the newer partners bring fresh methods and ways of thinking. That's the great thing about tech, there's always a new way of doing, and that collective innovation powers F1.

"What excites me most about F1 technology in the future is, perhaps unsurprisingly, AI – but not in isolation. What's particularly intriguing is how we combine it with human intuition. The future isn't about replacing people, it’s about elevating them.

"The winners of the AI race will be those who balance human intuition and experience with AI. If we can figure out how to empower some of the brightest minds here with AI, it'll be like a superpower."

Cassette tapes to cognitive tech

Eric has witnessed the advancement of technology and it's this and the understanding of that advancement, which is fuelling his new journey with the team.

"I got my first computer when I was six. When you wanted to play a game like Frogger you had to load it with a cassette player for half an hour.

"But it wasn't just about playing, it was where I first started understanding how things work.

"I had a book where you typed in the basics, and then you just changed the code until something broke. That's how I learned how to program.

"My dad showed me everything. I learned how to build networks, how to put computers together, and I'd sell components at school. Everything went from there and it still fascinates me. So I try to bring that fascination to other people.

"I'm really passionate about tech and how it can help people in particular. With AI now the entire knowledge of the world is available in any language, and you don't even need to read because it will read it to you."

A new chapter

Having recently joined the team, Eric is focused on getting up to speed with how we operate.

"In the early stages, I'm going to learn as much as I can about the technology integrated into this team.

"I've worked in some huge sports organisations but never in a team that consists of more than 1,000 people. Understanding the speed of movement and where I can bring value is an early aim.

"Further down the line I expect there'll be some interaction with Lance and Fernando if they're on tech panels for example. At the end of the day, the driver is the end user of almost everything.

"On that note, there's been some excitement among my children and their friends at me getting this job. I live in Asturias, and around 45 minutes away from Fernando's hometown of Oviedo – he's obviously a great hero in that part of the world.

"I live in a very little fishing town, but now people know I'm part of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team my popularity is through the roof!"

The Tech Ambassador's tech

For a man whose life revolves around tech, it begs this final question: what gadgets could Eric not live without?

"My phone is the obvious one. But that's not a gadget anymore, it's just a necessity. Though I have four…

"Aside from that, I panic if my fitness tracker isn't working. I like knowing how I feel and having that confirmation. It helps you learn about yourself."

It's that continued curiosity that's taken Eric from mountain to ocean to the pinnacle of motorsport; a journey that has always been about exploration – of systems, of environments, and of ideas.

Now, at Aston Martin Aramco, he's helping others explore too.

Keep an eye out for Eric's insights on astonmartinf1.com in the coming months as he dives deeper into the future of technology in F1 and the pivotal role played by the team's technology partners on our journey to becoming a World Championship-winning team.