Adrian Newey – F1 latest: Aston Martin announce stunning move for Red Bull designer
Newey has discussed his new challenge in a press conference at Aston Martin’s Silverstone base this morning
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Your support makes all the difference.Adrian Newey has been unveiled as Aston Martin’s Managing Technical Partner at a press conference this morning at the team’s Silverstone base.
The 65-year-old F1 design guru, who has been with Red Bull for 19 years, has signed a lucrative £20m-a-year contract with Lawrence Stroll’s team in a monumental move for the team.
Newey, who will leave Red Bull early next year, has won 12 drivers’ and 13 constructors’ championships during a successful 30-year career in Formula One. He has previously worked for Williams and McLaren.
Ferrari, who have Lewis Hamilton joining them in 2025, were heavily linked with signing Newey but the British designer has opted to stay in the UK and will begin work on aiding Aston’s bid to become world champions, with an eye on new engine and chassis regulations in 2026.
Follow live updates from Newey’s press conference and reaction to a seismic appointment from Aston Martin below:
Adrian Newey:
“It will be making sure we have synergy on all the car components, and coming up with a holistic product.
“We would love to have a good 2025, naturally. But for me it’s just about working with everybody and us all try to get the best out of each other and everything falls out from there.”
Adrian Newey:
”The PU for 2026 has been announced for some time, Honda will be working very hard on that. I’ve enjoyed working with them at Red Bull. On the chassis and aerodynamic side, they’ll be announced on 1, 2 January. I’ll be joining two months into that and a case of getting myself up to speed as quickly as possible and how we all get the best out of each other.
“The 2026 rules are an opportunity - they’re a reset for everybody. Whether we’ll be able to capitalise on that, we just don’t know - I don’t spend long fretting on these things, what will be will be.”
Adrian Newey:
“These facilities are just stunning. It’s not an easy thing to do to build a factory on a greenfield site and have a warm, creative feel to it. We’re here to be creative and come up with good solutions and good communication. I’ve seen some new buildings which haven’t quite fulfilled that.”
Adrian Newey:
“I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved what I aspired to from the age of 10 or 12, to be a designer in motor racing. I can honestly say everything else has been a bonus. I never expected anything like what I’ve been involved with. You have to keep yourself fresh, I felt I needed a new challenge.
“Lawerence have known each other off and on for a couple of years. When I said I’d be departing the old team, very flattered to have a lot of approaches from various teams. But Lawrence’s passion and enthusiasm is very endearing and persuasive.
“To have the chance to be a shareholder and partner hasn’t been offered to me. It became a very natural choice.”
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: And here comes the man himself!
Adrian Newey joins Lawrence Stroll on stage...
Why Aston Martin, he is asked?
“Lawrence! No seriously, I felt like I needed a new challenge. Towards the end of April, I decided I needed to do something different, spent some time with Amanda my wife about what we do. Do we sail around the world? We took a bit of time out...
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll...
“Adrian arguably is the greatest in the world at what he does, there’s no one who has come close to winning as many world championships.
“He has the passion and desire to win, as do I, as do many people in this building.
“We’ve brought in some great people on the way, we’ve put together a magnificent management team. To build a premises like that, non-existent like this in Formula One. It’s so grand and special. Putting all that in place... looking for our technical leader. I’ve been trying to speak to Adrian for a couple of years, he shared my passion, intent and vision.”
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll:
“Adrian Newey will be joining us as first and foremost a shareholder and our technical managing partner of our Formula 1 team.”
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: Five minutes away from the press conference!
You can follow it live via our news blog here or via our live stream.
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: How have we got here?
Newey decided to leave Red Bull in May after 19 years with the team, with the fallout from the investigation into Christian Horner’s conduct and the subsequent power struggle at Red Bull a factor in his decision.
The design guru will now play a pivotal role in Aston Martin’s car ahead of new engine and chassis regulations in 2026 with drivers Fernando Alonso, a two-time F1 world champion, and Lance Stroll, son of team owner Lawrence, hoping to benefit from the Brit’s experience and expertise.
Aston Martin, who are the fifth-quickest team this year, have invested heavily in their F1 project, with team owner Stroll funding a new state-of-the-art factory and wind tunnel in Silverstone, as well as securing Honda as a works engine partner from 2026.
Max Verstappen has also been linked with a move to Aston Martin, having capitalised on Newey’s knowledge of ground-effect cars with drivers’ titles in the last three years.
Adrian Newey – F1 latest: Who will be working with Newey at Aston?
Newey has won 12 drivers’ championships and 13 constructors’ titles during a 30-plus year career in Formula 1, working for Williams and McLaren before joining Red Bull.
He will be joined by ex-Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell, who joins as CEO next month, and Ferrari’s former chassis technical director Enrico Cardile.
Dan Fallows, who worked as an aerodynamicist under Newey at Red Bull between 2006 and 2021, joined Aston Martin as technical director in 2022.
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