F1 | Newey: “I chose Aston because of Lawrence, sole team owner”

Adrian Newey has a complex personality. He is certainly a peculiar type. He is not “brilliant” just because he can design winning cars by interpreting the rules in a way that no one can read. He likes to be the protagonist, but he does not want to be in the spotlight.

In the computer era he has not given up drawing sketches on a piece of paper, stopping at the side of the road while he was going to the factory, because suddenly an idea came to him. He always speaks in a low voice, almost as if he were afraid to express his opinion. He is a man full of uncertainties and doubts, which he shares with his wife Amanda.

During the press conference at the brand new Silverstone headquarters, Newey gave a terse “Lawrence” response to those who asked him why he had chosen Aston Martin, after months of being pulled by the coattails of many F1 team managers: Ferrari, McLaren, Williams but also Alpine and, perhaps, Mercedes.

Adrian needs to feel “protected”. Every time he no longer felt at ease he changed air. It happened in Williams, McLaren and now also in Red Bull. In Milton Keynes something changed when Dietrich Mateschitz passed away. The relationship with Ron Dennis had never taken off because the owner of McLaren wanted to “cage” Newey in his iron corporate laws and, trying, would have meant shielding the creative genius of the English coach.

The tragedy of Ayrton Senna in 1994 had led to the break with Patrick Head and Frank Williams after they had achieved extraordinary results together. Now Newey has chosen Lawrence Stroll. It is easy to think why the Canadian magnate has put together all the ingredients to aim for world ambitions: a very modern factory with the most innovative wind tunnel to which are added the exclusive supply of the Honda power unit and the e-fuel of Aramco, that is to say the sustainable gasoline developed by the Arab state oil company that is considered the most advanced.

Adrian Newey and Lawrence Stroll, owner of Aston Martin F1 Team

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Add to all this a princely salary worthy of a top driver, complete with bonuses and incentives. We are talking about 30 million pounds a year for an unspecified duration, but the involvement is long-term because the engineer has also become a shareholder in the F1 team and, therefore, will bet his own.

There were several convincing arguments and it is fair to say that Adrian was thrilled by the Ferrari offer, the only brand he considers superior to Aston Martin, but then he chose the British team. Why? And the answer is linked to the lapidary statement: for Lawrence Stroll.

For many, the idea that there could be a father-master at the helm of the green team was seen as a big limitation. And, instead, in the final analysis it turned out to be a detrimental element in the choice.

“The reality is that you go back at least 20 years, what we now call team principals were team owners back then,” Adrian explained. “Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, to name a few. In the modern era, Lawrence is the only team owner who is fully active. It’s a different feeling when you have one interface because it really feels like you’re going back to an old school model.”

The team is not intended as a company, as all Formula 1 teams have become, including Aston Martin, but with a short, very short chain of command. With only one person to report to and of whom he has also become a partner. A nice bet…