Adrian Newey faces what is potentially the biggest task of his Formula 1 career so far to lead Aston Martin to the front of the field.
After leaving Red Bull this winter, he has been challenged to lead a team that has never finished higher than fourth in the constructors’ championship (in their entire history, including as other teams).
While Newey is renowned for his ability to work miracles with Formula 1 machines, including his design genius, which has brought him 25 titles, Aston Martin is going to be a completely new kettle of fish for him.
He does at least get to tick off the opportunity to work with Fernando Alonso, after admitting it was one of the greatest regrets of his career to have not had the chance to.
Newey has already spotted one issue at Aston Martin with their simulator, and it’s something that they will aim to change ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations. The more accurately they can predict real-world situations, the more prepared they will be when they arrive at tracks.
Already, the changes being made at the Silverstone-based outfit are going down well. Alonso has been impressed by Newey at Aston Martin and the excitement and hunger that the two share for success should go well together.
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Adrian Newey has already made one ‘brutal’ decision at Aston Martin after Red Bull arrival
For quite a while, drivers have been linked with moves to Aston Martin, but Max Verstappen will snub them over a ‘big question’ about Newey. He doesn’t believe that the Brit has arrived quick enough to have an impact on their car for next year.
It does take teams a while to implement on track what is drawn up in the factory, but Newey will have had nearly 12 months to make sure that his work is on next year’s car.
It’s not his only area of expertise either. After spending 20 years as part of a smooth and race-winning operation at Red Bull, he knows how a victorious outfit must be set up. He’s able to advise on team infrastructure.
It appears that Newey has already conducted a ‘brutal reset’ of old habits recently, according to Autoracer.it, who report that he hasn’t been afraid to make changes.
Newey may be feeling the pressure from Lawrence Stroll after suggesting that his son, Lance, is a far better driver than he is made out to be. However, the Canadian had scored 100% of their points before missing out on competing at the Spanish Grand Prix with a wrist injury.
READ MORE: Mercedes should be worried about George Russell’s comments on working with Adrian Newey as Aston Martin rumours heat up
Why Aston Martin might be able to produce the biggest F1 shock of the century so far in 2026
Regulation changes rarely come as big as the one awaiting teams in 2026. Looking back, 2009 and 2017 were the two biggest in recent times, with the former producing a massive upset in the balance of the field.
McLaren and Ferrari went from title challengers to midfielders, while Red Bull went from being contenders for points to contenders for victories every weekend.
The man behind that ascension? That was Newey, who will be looking to do something very similar next year too. This time, he even has brand new state-of-the-art facilities to back his push.
Aston Martin are already preparing upgrades for 2026 this season, which will give them even more data in their fight to produce a better car. They’re doing everything they can to be in a good position, which is why they might surprise their rivals in the future.
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