The news was coming, but it still came as a shock: master designer Adrian Newey has officially joined Aston Martin. This is a major transfer. In Formula 1, it is often said that the car is the most important thing, and nobody designs better cars than Newey. In fact, drivers like Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve would probably never have become world champions without his designs. Newey will start there in 2026.
Not only them, Max Verstappen also owes a lot to Newey. The Dutchman drove all his championship years at Red Bull in cars designed by Newey. This year, the news came that the British designer would leave Red Bull, and that sent shock waves through the paddock. The certainty that Verstappen would become world champion again seems to have disappeared. Since Newey’s announcement, Red Bull even seems to be losing some ground.
Why does Newey choose Aston Martin?
The big question is why Adrian Newey chose Aston Martin. During a live event, Newey explained that Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Aston Martin, was a decisive factor. Stroll is one of the last real team owners in Formula 1, now that men like Frank Williams, Ron Dennis and Eddie Jordan no longer play a role in the sport. In addition, Aston Martin has invested heavily in a new factory and an advanced wind tunnel in recent years.
Free rein for Newey at Aston Martin
Newey has almost complete freedom at Aston Martin, which is a great attraction for him. He can also continue to work with Honda, with whom he has had good experiences. Aston Martin is also no stranger to Newey: the brand was already a sponsor and he previously worked on Aston Martin road and track day cars. And let’s not forget: a large amount of money also helped, of course.
Newey will finish the year at Red Bull. Next year he will have to go on so-called ‘gardening leave’. This means that he cannot go straight to the other team because of the non-competition clause. A year of gardening, so to speak. In 2026 he will start at Aston Martin. In short, we are curious about the next message that Max Verstappen is making the switch to Aston Martin?
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