Fernando Alonso, the acclaimed Formula 1 driver, has recently shared his insights into the impending 2025 season. According to Alonso, Adrian Newey’s role as the Technical Director at Aston Martin will have more influence than Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
Hamilton, a British driver of immense talent, has set a new milestone by transitioning to Ferrari in 2025. His arrival was revealed during the F1 75 live event that took place earlier this week.
Simultaneously, Aston Martin is gearing up for a monumental change of its own. The team is not only preparing for the upcoming season but also eagerly awaiting the arrival of their soon-to-be Technical Director, Adrian Newey, who made headlines last year when he announced his departure from Red Bull and his subsequent plan to join Lawrence Stroll’s crew.
The 66-year-old Newey is expected to begin his tenure at Aston Martin in March, coinciding with the Australian Grand Prix’s first round. Alonso, in a conversation before the F1 75 live event, expressed his admiration for Newey, describing him as a “free spirit” whose innovative approach to his work cannot be contained.
Alonso, who is 43, elaborated on how he believes Newey’s influence on the British team will outshine Hamilton’s contribution to Ferrari. “Adrian Newey will always have more impact than any driver,” he stated to Spanish publication AS. “I don’t know what Hamilton will bring or add to Ferrari, it will surely be less than what a designer can bring.”
Since the Miami Grand Prix of 2024, Newey has been on gardening leave and his responsibilities at Red Bull have been restricted to the RB17 hypercar project. Newey, who now holds shares in Aston Martin, is set to direct his attention to the newly revised rules for the 2026 season.
With the rules pertaining to the chassis and power unit set for an overhaul, Aston Martin will also transition to Honda engines. However, Newey is faced with a challenge; he needs to catch up on the 2026 developments as other teams have been able to start their preparations for the season at the beginning of this year.
During his appearance on the Autocar podcast, Newey discussed the potential obstacles he might face. Red Bull, he revealed, has confiscated his tools, but cannot hinder his potential to generate ideas. His primary focus will be the 2026 regulations and the subsequent changes, which he will start working on from March 2.
Newey admitted that he might be two months behind when he begins, given that the aero rules were released on January 1. However, he emphasized the need to be adept in computer-aided design (CAD) systems to grasp the new rules effectively. Additionally, he acknowledged that he would need time to familiarize himself with the Aston Martin team.
In summary, Fernando Alonso firmly believes that Adrian Newey’s impact at Aston Martin will surpass that of Lewis Hamilton’s at Ferrari. His statement only adds to the anticipation for the upcoming seasons of Formula 1. With the new changes in place, it will indeed be intriguing to see how the dynamics in the sport shift.
