Aston Martin and Aramco Collaborations Accelerate the Future of Racing
Employees heard from Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Driver Fernando Alonso and F2™ Driver Jak Crawford during a Q&A session held at the Ion in Houston, Texas.
The global impact of Aramco’s partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula OneTM Team continues to break new ground with events across the United States showcasing its innovation and engineering excellence in Formula 1™.
With stops in Detroit, Houston, and Austin, Aramco and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team engaged with the public and racing fans alike, revealing the science and passion of F1™ both on and off the track.
Exploring innovative mobility solutions at Aramco’s Detroit Research Center
The week began with a visit to Aramco’s research center in Novi, Michigan, to visit senior researchers on the future of fuel technologies in motorsports. Aston Martin Performance Technologies Engineering Director Claudio Santoni visited the research center for a day of learning and collaboration.
The conversations underscored the week’s activities and Aramco’s commitment to working with partners to advance lower-carbon fuel technologies as a potential long-term reduction pathway. The company plays a key role in F1’s net-zero ambitions by supplying Aston Martin Aramco with FIA-compliant 100 percent sustainable fuels for the 2026 F1 season.
(L-R: Andy Bauer; Claudio Santoni; James Braun; and Xin Yu) Aston Martin Performance Technologies Engineering Director Claudio Santoni visited with researchers at the Aramco Research Center – Detroit.
The meeting also helped both teams better understand Aramco's leadership in mobility innovation. In addition to supporting the development of light- and heavy-duty fuels to enhance engine efficiency, Aramco’s research center conducts work in computational modeling and propulsion technology. The transport analysis and solutions developed aim to enhance engine efficiency while reducing environmental impact, cost, and system complexity.
Santoni highlighted the value of learning how Aramco applies F1 insights to advance lower-carbon mobility solutions, “It was great to learn more about how Aramco is taking learnings from F1 and the track to further develop low-carbon mobility solutions of the future.”
Senior Vice President of Technical Oversight & Compliance Ali A. Al-Meshari; Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Driver Fernando Alonso) As part of the Houston event at the Ion, a special, science-inspired car livery was unveiled in front of Aramco Americas employees ahead of the Formula 1 Austin Grand Prix.
Unveiling a science-inspired Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ car livery to Aramco employees
In Houston, Aramco Americas hosted an employee event at the Ion District, where Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight & Coordination, Ali A. Al-Meshari and ASC President & CEO, Ahmed S. AL-Mulhem, unveiled a science-inspired, bespoke Aston Martin Aramco car livery. The distinctive design, which debuted at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix 2025, was the first unique livery design in the history of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ to showcase the technological advancements driving the partnership – featuring a series of engineering formulas directly related to F1 design and performance.
Ahmed AL-Mulhem, President & CEO of Aramco Americas, emphasized the global impact of the partnership. “At Aramco, we strive to drive company strategy and growth, not just within the energy sector but across industries, and Formula 1 is a testament to this vision,” AL-Mulhem said. “Through our collaboration with Aston Martin Aramco, we’re inspiring the next generation and creating real impact beyond the racetrack.”
Adding to the excitement, two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso captivated the crowd with insights on focus, resilience, and the role of technology in racing. Alonso shared his passion for racing and consistent approach to each race, even after more than two decades in the sport.
Aramco Americas President & CEO Ahmed AL-Mulhem addresses employees at the Ion in Houston, Texas, during the global unveiling of a new Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team car livery.
The event also highlighted new F1 regulations, which come into effect in 2026. Aramco has been working closely with F1 to help them meet their goal of running all F1 cars on FIA-compliant 100 percent sustainable fuels. As the racetrack is a unique testing ground, every lap helps Aramco learn how these fuels perform and how they could inform the development of lower-emission passenger vehicles fuels.
These fuels are lower-carbon fuel blends containing 100 percent sustainable biomass components, in line with FIA technical regulations. They are designed to be ‘drop-in’ fuels, which are expected to work seamlessly in existing engines while reducing lifecycle emissions compared to conventional fuels.
The Houston event closed with opportunities for meet-and-greet sessions, autographs, and an immersive experience in a Formula 1 simulator.
"It was amazing that Aramco employees were the first to see this livery," said Dwayne Smith, Procurement Specialist, P&SCM, Aramco Americas. "Meeting Fernando Alonso made it a day I'll never forget."
Aramco Americas employees experienced a Formula 1 simulator during the exclusive event at the Ion in Houston, Texas.
During the Ion event, Aisha Londono-Salmen, a high school student from local robotics team Spectrum 3847, asked how Formula 1 innovations are implemented into regular cars. Impressed with her question, Alonso responded with examples like paddle shifters that have been adapted for consumer vehicles.
The student robotics team's attendance coincided with the launch of the Aramco STEM Challenge 2025. The competition is a multifaceted initiative aimed at inspiring the next generation of engineers and innovators through STEM education. University students, aged 18–25, are tasked to complete a series of online challenges and interviews in specialized engineering fields, such as fuels, aerodynamics, or engines. Winners will receive a STEM Experience at the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Technology Campus in Silverstone, United Kingdom, giving them real-world insight into the workings of a top-tier racing team.
Students from the Spectrum 3847 robotics team attend a Q&A session at the Ion with Fernando Alonso and Jak Crawford. One student, Aisha Londono-Salmen, asked Alonso a question about racecar innovations in consumer vehicles.
The following day, Al-Meshari led an event in Austin, highlighting Aramco’s role in developing innovative mobility solutions. Aramco’s expertise as the exclusive supplier of lower-carbon fuels for Formula 2TM, Formula 3TM, and F1® Academy was emphasized, along with its contribution to F1’s net-zero roadmap and role as supplier of FIA-compliant 100 percent sustainable fuel to the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ team.
“For more than 90 years, Aramco has combined imagination, science and engineering to solve challenges people thought were impossible. Through our partnership with Aston Martin, we are testing innovative new fuels and materials that could help advance transportation on and off the racetrack,” Al-Meshari explained.
The week concluded at the Austin Grand Prix in Circuit of the Americas (COTA), where Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandr, Saudi Ambassador to the United States, was hosted by Aramco management at the F1 Paddock Club™. Her visit focused on technology in sports, community partnerships, and topics related to leadership in motorsports and innovation.
From scientific research and employee engagement to public outreach and diplomatic meetings, the partnership between Aramco and Aston Martin Aramco continues to break new ground. The events throughout the week reinforced Aramco’s position as a catalyst for innovation and engineering excellence in Formula 1 and beyond.
