Mercedes' Chief Aerodynamicist Eric Blandin has been recruited by Aston Martin and will join the team at the end of the 2022 F1 season. Blandin is the latest name to sign to the British outfit as part of their recruitment drive, though this marks the first significant signing to come from Mercedes. The Silver Arrows are engine suppliers to Aston Martin, and a statement released by the team confirms that the transition will be "amicable". "We can confirm that Eric Blandin will begin working for Aston Martin Cognizant Formula 1 team next year," an Aston Martin spokesperson said. "His exact start date is not yet confirmed. The transition from Mercedes AMG F1 team to ourselves will be an amicable one." Blandin has worked as Chief Aerodynamicist at Mercedes since 2017, having previously held the role of Principal Aerodynamicist. Before joining the Brackley-based squad, Blandin worked as aero team leader at Ferrari, and prior to that had the same position at Red Bull.
Fallows still under contract at Red Bull
Blandin is the latest name to be confirmed to join Aston Martin, with one of the most high-profile recent signings being Red Bull's Head of Aerodynamics, Dan Fallows. Fallows will become Technical Director at Aston Martin, though RacingNews365.com understands that Fallows is being required to work his full contract at Red Bull - thought to be until the end of 2023 - before he can take up his new role. When Fallows' move to Aston Martin was announced in June, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said that the switch would not take place for quite some time. "Dan's going to be with us for a while," Horner said. "He's fully focussed on this year's car and will be with us until the end of his contract. "I'm not going to go into great details but it certainly won't be within the next couple of years." Fallows - who joined Red Bull in 2006 as Team Leader in the aerodynamics department - will work alongside Performance Director Tom McCullough and Engineering Director Luca Furbatto at Aston Martin.
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