Newey handed Aston Martin WARNING as doubts…read more
Adrian Newey, one of Formula 1’s most renowned designers, has been issued a stark warning ahead of his move to Aston Martin for the 2025 season. Newey, 66, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest engineers, having played a key role in designing cars that secured Red Bull six Constructors’ Championships and seven Drivers’ Titles. His expertise has helped cement his reputation as a design legend in F1. However, as Red Bull begins to transition towards a future without Newey, questions have emerged about how much impact the veteran designer will have at his new team.
Aston Martin secured Newey’s services after the departure of several key figures from Red Bull, including Will Courtenay, who joined McLaren as their head of race strategy, and Jonathan Wheatley, Red Bull’s sporting director, who left to become Audi’s team principal ahead of their 2026 F1 entry. As the 2025 season approaches, Red Bull may face challenges with a new driver pairing of Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson, alongside the loss of key staff. For Newey, however, the challenge will be adjusting to a fresh environment at Aston Martin, a team that has shown promise but has yet to establish consistent success.
While Aston Martin’s recent upgrades, including the acquisition of state-of-the-art factories, signify a commitment to improvement, doubts remain about how much of an impact Newey can have in transforming the team. The team’s history with designing competitive cars has been inconsistent, with struggles to develop those cars over a season. Marc Priestley, a former McLaren mechanic, expressed skepticism, acknowledging Newey’s brilliant engineering mind but emphasizing that one individual cannot guarantee success, especially in a team with a history of design challenges. He noted that despite Aston Martin’s investments and growth, Newey will face the challenge of reshaping a team with limited success in recent seasons.
The pressure is mounting on Newey as he prepares to take on the challenge of revitalizing Aston Martin’s F1 program. While his track record suggests he could make a significant impact, many in the paddock remain cautious about how quickly the changes will come and whether he can truly turn Aston Martin into a consistent front-runner. Newey’s ability to integrate into the new environment and drive development within the team will be key to determining whether his move to Aston Martin proves to be a success.
