Aston Martin, the legendary British automotive brand, holds steadfast in their Formula 1 ambitions, with a clear objective of clinching back-to-back championships. Andy Cowell, the Group CEO and Team Principal of Aston Martin, indicates that the key to their success lies in embracing, not stifling, the creative prowess of their newly appointed F1 design guru, Adrian Newey.
Widely celebrated in the F1 universe, Newey boasts an illustrious career marked by title triumphs with Williams, McLaren, and most recently, Red Bull. His surprising exit from Red Bull coincided with the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, marking the conclusion of the RB17 hypercar project. Post a flurry of speculation about his future in F1, Newey, at 66, made a strategic move to Aston Martin.
In his latest venture, Newey embraces the role of Managing Technical Partner, a newly minted position, and has also procured shares in the team. From the onset of March, his primary focus will be the impending alterations in chassis and power unit parameters set for F1 2026.
The upper echelons of Aston Martin have lately been a hotbed of shifts and swaps. Mike Krack transitioned from Team Principal to Chief Trackside Engineer, while Enrico Cardile from Ferrari assumed the role of Chief Technical Officer. Former Mercedes engine chief, Andy Cowell, joined the fray in October, stepping into the shoes of Aston Martin’s Group CEO and Team Principal.
In a candid interview with Sky Sports News, Cowell emphasized the significance of harnessing Newey’s creative spirit, stating, “Adrian is very competitive, he’s very creative, and as an organization, we need to harness that, not stifle it.” He underscored the importance of fostering an environment conducive to creativity, equipped with top-tier tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics, wind tunnel, and manufacturing facilities.
Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso seems to echo this sentiment, describing Newey as a free spirit. Alonso, who is under Aston Martin’s banner, commented on Newey’s role, suggesting that it would be futile to attempt to control his actions.
The billionaire owner of Aston Martin, Lawrence Stroll, shares this vision of allowing Newey to freely exercise his creativity. Alonso highlighted in his comments, “The day he arrives, if he can give us a hand in 2025, fine. If he wants to work only in 2026, fine too. Because then he has clear ideas and doesn’t want to waste a single day.”
Underpinning all these strategic decisions and managerial movements is Aston Martin’s ultimate dream of securing multiple F1 titles. Cowell states, “We’re working exceptionally hard to make the racing car our prime focus, to work together in a collaborative way, a high-performance team.” He acknowledges the formidable competition, but remains grounded in his belief that rigorous performance targets and a dedicated approach will let them achieve their goals without any regrets.