Andy Cowell, born on February 12, 1969, in Blackpool, England, is a prominent British engineer who has been serving as the team boss at Aston Martin since January 2025. His passion for Formula 1 emerged at a young age, motivating him to study mechanical engineering at Lancaster University.
After graduating, he began his career at Cosworth, a renowned British engineering firm that has been manufacturing engines since the late 1950s. At Cosworth, Cowell worked in various departments and gained valuable experience, particularly in the Formula 1 engine division. Here, he contributed to engine projects that led McLaren and Benetton to Grand Prix victories and world titles in the 1990s. A highlight was Johnny Herbert’s European Grand Prix victory in 1999. The engine project led by Cowell contributed to the emotional victory and a double podium for the Stewart Grand Prix F1 team.
Promotion at Mercedes
In 2000, Cowell made the move to BMW Motorsport, where he played a key role in designing the engine that Williams used in 2001. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Cosworth as the chief engineer for their Formula 1 program, leading several new engine projects. In 2004, he joined Mercedes-Ilmor as the chief engineer. His responsibilities within the organization increased, and he eventually led all projects. From 2008 to 2013, Cowell was the technical director of the Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines division, after which he was appointed Managing Director of the renamed Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in 2013.
Under his leadership, Mercedes developed a powerful V6 hybrid power unit that led them to their first constructor’s title and a driver’s title for Lewis Hamilton in 2014. This marked the beginning of an unprecedented period of dominance, in which Mercedes won fifteen world titles (both constructors’ and drivers’ championships) between 2014 and 2021. Cowell left Mercedes in 2020 to take on other challenges. In October 2024, he joined Aston Martin as CEO, and since January 2025, he has been serving as the team boss, with the aim of leading Aston Martin to new successes.
