Lawrence Stroll provides us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, says Andy Stevenson as he reflects on his role

The role of a sporting director can differ at different teams, but adaptation is crucial in this position, claims Aston Martin’s sporting director Andy Stevenson.

Andy Stevenson fulfills a crucial role at the Aston Martin outfit. The Briton is responsible for a variety of tasks, mainly leading garage operations of the Silverstone-based outfit.

Moreover, he is the person who is in close contact with the sport’s governing body, the FIA, ensuring that the team complies with the sporting rules.

After success in Formula 3 and Formula 3000 with Eddie Jordan Racing, in the early 1990s Stevenson rose through the ranks after Jordan entered F1.

Having been the Chief Mechanic, he took on the responsibilities of Sporting Director in 2005. He has stayed with the team as it was taken over by the Midland Group and then the Vijah Mallya-led Force India.

Reflecting on the beginning of his career, Stevenson said: “On my very first day at the team, Eddie Jordan told me that I wouldn’t last beyond the end of the month.”

“I didn’t realize for a very long time that this was his way to get the most out of me: he wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to sit back and do the bare minimum, he wanted me to push myself.”

“I thought ‘Right, I’m going to show this guy!’ and I was working until 10, 11 o’clock every night, doing the very best I could. And Eddie was driving home with a big smile on his face, thinking, ‘Heh, I’ve got him right where I want him!’

“I am still here today, because of what Eddie told me on my first day back in 1987 – maybe not working until 10, 11 o’clock every night but certainly challenging myself to do the best I can every single day.”

Speaking of his exact role at Aston Martin, Stevenson said: “My position as Sporting Director has been carved out during my many years at this team, but the same role at a different team would require a very different skillset.

“I’m from more of a sporting and efficiencies background, but other Sporting Directors are more engineering-led. Adapting your skills to the needs of the business is a big part of working in the sport.”

“We employ a lot of very smart people here at Aston Martin Aramco, so if you don’t allow them to do their job properly, what’s the point of having them here? As Sporting Director, it’s my responsibility to give everybody in the team whatever they need to get their job done.

“I’m not there to tell them how to do the job; I’m there to make sure they’ve got everything at their disposal to do things properly – whether that’s arriving at the circuit with as little stress as possible, a comfortable hotel, the tools and technology they require to get the job done. It’s important that people know they have the support they need.”

“When I’m sat on the pit wall, I’m not just relaxing and watching Sky Sports, I’m trying to build a picture of what is actually happening all round the circuit at any particular moment.

“I build that from lots of different sources: I have seven video views open on the pit wall – our cars, other teams’ cars, the international feed, follow-me CCTV cams. So, lap-by-lap or even corner-by-corner, I can build up a picture of what’s going on around our cars and around the track. Then when something does happen, I’ve got the maximum possible information available to me to make the correct decision.”

“In the race, you need a very thorough knowledge of the circuit layout – where the cranes are located, the gaps in the barriers where cars can be moved, where the marshals are positioned – that helps you instantly make a judgment on what’s going to happen and how it might affect your race directly.”

“I obviously didn’t start out using seven video feeds on the pit wall – it’s been a natural development to get there, and we get offered new technology all the time. It’s all about adapting new tech for the purpose you need it for – adaptation is a skill. You have to be comfortable with change.”

“In addition to those seven screens, I also listen to about 15 radio channels so it’s not surprising that you end up a bit frazzled after a race – your mind has been working intensely for the previous two hours.”

Stevenson stressed that it is crucial to adapt to the quick changes as motorsport constantly evolves.

“Motorsport is an industry that moves very, very quickly – so you need to move and adapt as quickly as the sport does. I always remember the adage: keep doing the same things and you get the same results.

“I’m therefore always looking at ways to do the job better. In the very early days of Jordan, we used to say: ‘There’s always a smarter way.’ Regardless of how you’ve always done it, there’s always something you can improve.”

“We’re very process-driven in F1. We put processes in place to guarantee the right things are done at the right times, but we’re always willing to adapt those if we feel there’s room for improvement somewhere.

“Equally, those processes sometimes generate their own issues so you must be open-minded about rebuilding them.”

Stevenson is proud of being part of the Aston Martin team given the enormous backing from Lance Stroll.

Although the team endured a slight drop in performance at the start of the 2024 F1 season, the Silverstone-based outfit still has high ambitions to work its way towards the front of the field.

“At Aston Martin Aramco, we’re working towards that day when we become a World Championship-winning team, but we haven’t got there yet, so I still have plenty of energy and enthusiasm to achieve that and finish the job.

“I don’t want to be remembered as somebody who just competed in F1 for 40 years and never won a title.

“What’s motivating me right now is that we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; our Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll, our shareholders and partners have thrown their support behind us and given us everything we need to succeed. It’s time to get the job done.”

Stevenson thinks that not just cars achieve incredible speeds, but those who work on any aspect of the cars also have to be fast, fixing potential issues quickly.

“Fixing problems often comes down to experience. Lots of things can go wrong – but you often encounter similar sorts of problems.”

“Nowadays, a lot of issues that you deal with are things you’ve dealt with before, so you’ve learnt from the experience, and you’ve put processes in place to quickly mitigate against them. Having said that, you do have to think very quickly – and be aware of the situation developing around you.”

Revealing how he tried to disconnect himself from the hectic and stressful world of Formula One, Stevenson said that he tried to leave his work at his office.

“I never take stress from work home with me. If there’s a problem I’m trying to solve, I’ll try to finish it before I leave the office if I can. Listening to music in the car on the way home also helps me to shut off. If you don’t allow your brain to switch off from work issues, you’ll end up having a bad night’s sleep and you’ll suffer the next day. Recovery is extremely important; you must give yourself time.

“I’m also a big believer in looking at some problems with fresh eyes the next morning if it’s possible. Very often, what felt like a disaster can be fixed very quickly the following day.”

Despite having spent a long spell in Formula One, Stevenson claims that he still can learn a lot from others working in the pit lane.

“You have to look up and down the pit lane for inspiration – don’t just focus on the teams at the front. All the teams in modern F1 do things very, very well: the level is so consistently high.”

“There’s so much you can learn just by standing back and understanding how others solve their problems. Never underestimate the opposition.”

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