Aston Martin have become the first Formula 1 team to announce the launch date for their new 2023 car.
The 2022 season may only have finished a matter of weeks ago, but the teams are already working hard on preparations for next year, with the new cars having been in development for months now.
And Aston Martin are the first to announce when the world will get the first glimpse of their new challenger, with the covers set to come off the car – which will be called the AMR23 – on Monday, February 13th, at 7pm GMT.
The launch will be held at the team’s Silverstone base, where work is continuing on an all-new £200 million headquarters, which owner Lawrence Stroll hopes will help propel the former Racing Point outfit right to the front of the grid and eventually, championship-winning glory.
Aston Martin have finished seventh in the constructors’ championship in the last two seasons, and will be hoping for a big step forward in 2023, especially with a host of new personnel bedding in at the team, including new Technical Director Dan Fallows, who was poached from Red Bull.
The AMR23 will be the first Aston Martin to be piloted by Fernando Alonso, with the two-time world champion joining the team for next year after two seasons at Alpine.
Alonso will partner team mate Lance Stroll, and replaces Sebastian Vettel, who spent two years with the team after leaving Ferrari.
Former Renault, McLaren and Ferrari driver Alonso has high hopes for next year, having got his first taste of Aston machinery at the post-season test in Abu Dhabi in November.
After racking up 97 laps in the 2022 car, Alonso said: “It was good! It was a very nice experience. I feel honoured to drive for such an iconic brand.
““It was a very special day, having the first go in the car and trying to feel also the differences [between Alpine and Aston Martin]. Obviously, we raced two days ago here, so it’s very fresh and it’s very useful.
“I tried to meet all the mechanics, the engineers, and [I will] try to remember a lot of new names, for sure!” he added.