The Aston Martin F1 team has not had the best start to the 2025 season. They have scored only 10 points in total, placing them 7th in the Constructors’ Championship. But this may not be the case next year as Adrian Newey immediately started designing the 2026 challenger as soon as he joined the team in March.
With Newey joining the Silverstone-based team, the entire F1 community have been curious as to what he will create for the team next year. Newey is undoubtedly one of the best F1 car designers of all time. He has developed Championship-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull Racing, and is now looking to do the same with Aston Martin. From what has been revealed by the team’s CEO, Andy Cowell, we can expect something big from Newey next year.
Aston Martin CEO reveals what Adrian Newey has been up to since joining Aston Martin.
During an interview with AS, Andy Cowell shared what Newey has been doing ever since he joined the team in March.
“Adrian has been designing the 2026 car since early March and is laying the foundations for that car. We’re all pushing hard, including Honda, Aramco with sustainable fuel, and Valvoline with lubricants. We’re trying to ensure the investment in the wind tunnel and simulator gives us an advantage.”
From March to Aston Martin: Adrian Newey’s Journey Through Formula 1
“He came in and attended meetings about the new rules, about the concepts we’d been working on. We explained the countdown to the first test and the first race. And we spelt out all the deadlines for submitting information for the manufacture of this car.”
“He went straight to work with engineers to make sketches on his drawing board. He’s in that design cycle to design key parts of the car. 90% of a car’s creation is in the factory, and that’s where we want Adrian. He has his office; everyone who walks past says that whenever they see him, he’s drawing on the board. Of course, he doesn’t go to meetings, he doesn’t answer emails, he’s just preparing a fast car. And we all support that process.”
Adrian Newey’s job with Aston Martin is quite simple: create a fast car. And that’s exactly what he’s been doing in Silverstone. Ever since he made his move to Aston Martin, we have not seen him around the F1 paddock during the races. This is because he is completely tuned in to designing the 2026 car for the team.
Will Aston Martin ask Newey to fix the AMR25?
There is no doubt that Aston Martin’s car for his year, the AMR25, is nowhere near where they wanted it to be. While Stroll scored a few points in the first couple of races, they have not been anywhere near the points since. Both Stroll and Alonso have been struggling to find pace in the British green car. So, should Aston Martin ask Newey to step in and fix the issues?
Andy Cowell was asked about this during his interview with AS. He replied:
“We could go all in on the AMR25, we’d make progress, but we’d be in a bad starting position in 2026, which would carry over into 2027, 2028, 2029… We’ve had these conversations internally with Lawrence (Stroll, owner) and Adrian (Newey) about where we are and what we need to do. CFD and wind tunnel testing are limited, and decisions need to be made based on the data. We can’t panic now and change what we believe in.”
“After an intense triple-header, we have a week back at base to regroup and understand how to improve in all areas and unlock more performance from the car.”
Recap the #SaudiArabianGP with Andy, Fernando and Lance. ⬇️
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) April 20, 2025
Despite the AMR25’s poor performance, the team would prefer Newey to focus on the 2026 challenger. If Aston Martin are able to deliver a high-performing car for next year, it could last for the entire regulation cycle.
The fact is that they do not have unlimited resources to use on both the 2025 and 2026 cars. Given the limitations in aerodynamic testing in F1, the teams will have to balance and prioritise. Hence, Newey’s talents are best spent on the team’s future.
Given how involved Newey is in creating the 2026 car for the Silverstone-based team, we cannot wait to see what he creates next year. Do you think Aston Martin can win a Championship with a Newey-designed car? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
