Aston Martin have finally welcomed legendary designer Adrian Newey into the team after months of waiting for his Red Bull gardening leave to end.
The Formula 1 world was left stunned when Adrian Newey announced he would be leaving Red Bull after nearly two decades and countless championship victories.
Both Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen can thank Newey for his contribution to them becoming four-time champions and all eyes are on whether the Dutchman can win a fifth title in 2025 without the designer’s input.
Newey was linked with almost every team in the paddock once it was announced he would be leaving the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Ferrari were interested in signing Newey and creating a super team with Lewis Hamilton but in the end, Aston Martin secured the 66-year-old’s signature.
Team owner Lawrence Stroll announced Newey’s arrival at their new state-of-the-art factory at Silverstone last year, but he wasn’t able to start work until the beginning of March.
It means he’s unlikely to have any real impact on this year’s car and is already slightly behind when it comes to the production of Aston Martin’s 2026 machine.
Newey will be working with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll over the next two seasons with the aim of one of them becoming a world champion.
While Newey is stunned that Alonso is only a two-time world champion, Stroll’s track record isn’t quite as impressive.
Ralf Schumacher is a close friend of Newey’s and on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast, has shared what he’s already told him about the Canadian driver.
Adrian Newey already ‘positively surprised’ by Lance Stroll at Aston Martin
Journalist Peter Hardenacke said to Schumacher: “He’ll [Alonso] have to be patient for another year, even if it’s hard for him, and then we’ll see what Adrian Newey does.
“The new leader [Newey] you just mentioned is rumoured to be keen to get rid of both drivers. So there could also be a lot of movement during the season.”
Schumacher replied: “Yes but that’s not what I heard in Africa.
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“Privately. I have to say, he’s busy on the racetrack and it’s actually the case that he can walk past me and because he’s just looking at his notepad, he doesn’t even realise who is next to him.
“And he told me himself that he is actually positively surprised by Lance Stroll’s way of working.
“He seems to have a lot more energy than when he’s shuffling around the paddock. That’s how it is. Yes, so maybe we’re doing him a bit of an injustice.”
Lance Stroll has a point to prove ahead of difficult Aston Martin 2025 F1 season
Although Newey is one of several high-profile names to be brought in to help Aston Martin, it appears as though their eggs are all firmly in the 2026 basket.
Ted Kravitz ranked Aston Martin as the ninth-fastest team in testing which highlights exactly how much work Newey has in front of him.
Aston Martin have saved their wind tunnel time for Newey so he can control exactly what they work on over the next few months.
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Stroll had a poor 2024 season and is on the longest active streak of races without scoring a point out of any of the drivers on the grid.
Alex Brundle noticed Stroll struggling in testing although this was due to illness and he was quickly replaced by Alonso.
The Canadian will be pleased that he’s already made a positive impression on Newey and if he and Alonso can perfect their feedback, then he may just build them another championship-winning car.
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