Fernando Alonso thinks designer Adrian Newey would have liked to start even earlier at his new Aston Martin team to attack Formula 1’s 2026 regulations.
Newey was presented last year as Aston Martin’s new managing technical partner, but Aston waited until early March for the former Red Bull design guru to start at his new employer. Once in position, his firm focus is now on kicking off the 2026 regulations cycle on the front foot.
But Aston is struggling for performance in 2025 against its midfield rivals, and suggestions that Newey might be pulled into its current car’s development process have already been dismissed by team principal Andy Cowell.
Alonso, who has yet to score a point this season, felt this was the right call and suggested Newey’s March start was already later than the legendary designer would have liked to get the best start on the 2026 rules.
“I think he would probably have preferred even joining the team one year ago and start on ’26. So even for the ’26 project, I’m sure that he thinks it’s late,” said Alonso. “So, I understand completely that he needs to focus only on next year’s car. He didn’t make this year’s car, he didn’t touch the car, he didn’t design the car, so I don’t think it’s up to him to fix the car.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The two-time world champion said he had lunch at Aston Martin’s new Silverstone factory with Newey before Miami, and said he left convinced that the team’s 2025 struggles won’t have any sort of lingering effect on how it bounces back when the new era begins.
He added that Newey and other key hires joining the team will be able to bring invaluable championship winning expertise to the ambitious Lawrence Stroll-owned outfit.
Asked if chatting to Newey had given him renewed faith in the team’s ability to turn things around, he replied: “Not really, I think I never lost the trust, I’m not too worried about next year. I think this year is just a continuation of some of the problems that we found in the last two seasons, and we were not able to overcome some of the obstacles that we found.
“For next year, with the new regulations and Adrian on board, I think nothing of this year’s car is going to be into next year’s project. It’s a complete reset, so I’m not too concerned for next year.
“There is a better understanding of where we are lacking capabilities and where we are behind some of the top teams. Also, some of these new people that joined the team have a good reference because they come from world championship contenders, so they know what is needed.”
