F1 design legend Adrian Newey joins Aston Martin

Formula 1 design legend Adrian Newey officially began his tenure with Aston Martin on Monday, marking a significant step in the team's aspirations to become a championship contender.

Adrian Newey, renowned as the most successful car designer in Formula 1 history, has aligned with Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll's ambitious vision for Aston Martin. The team aims to leverage Newey's expertise to challenge for titles under the new engine and aerodynamic regulations set to take effect in the 2026 season.

In his new role as Managing Technical Partner, Newey will be steering the development for the next year's project and has also acquired a shareholding in the team. Newey's illustrious career includes engineering title-winning cars for Williams and McLaren in the 1990s and for Red Bull in two distinct periods over the past twenty years.

"I'm just looking forward to it and what will be, will be," Newey shared on the BBC's F1: Back at Base podcast. "The first target really is to get to know everybody here, understand how everybody works, and try to integrate myself with everybody. It's talking to the drivers, it's talking to my fellow engineers, trying to bounce ideas off them. Getting that sort of creative flow going."

Fernando Alonso, who has described Aston Martin as "the team of the future," echoed the sentiments of optimism surrounding Newey's arrival.

Adding further expertise to the team, new Group CEO and Team Principal Andy Cowell, who played a pivotal role in Mercedes' dominance during the 2014-2021 regulatory cycle, expressed considerable excitement regarding Newey's addition. "Everybody's super excited to work with Adrian," said Cowell in Bahrain. "His record speaks for itself. We're looking forward to welcoming him on site. We're starting work on introducing him to the key technical players within our business, showing him the business tools for engineering the car, and then getting stuck into creating a 2026 car and helping the improvements on 2025."

Newey had been on gardening leave following his departure from Red Bull. The inclusion of Ferrari engine head Enrico Cardile remains uncertain, as Aston Martin has yet to finalize an agreement with Ferrari regarding Cardile's start date despite confirming his signing for 2025 last July.

As the team prepares for the upcoming seasons, the integration of Newey and other key personnel signifies a new chapter for Aston Martin, with hopes set high for achieving championship success.

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