Fernando Alonso, the two-time World Champion of Aston Martin, has unequivocally stated his belief in the supremacy of a designer’s influence over a driver’s in shaping the success of a Formula 1 team. His remarks surface amidst the mounting excitement for the 2025 F1 season, which promises to be a defining period for both Ferrari and Aston Martin.
The significant transformations at Ferrari and Aston Martin are the focal points of the upcoming season. Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, has transitioned to Ferrari for F1 2025 after a 12-year prolific journey with Mercedes that saw him break numerous records, including most race wins, podiums, and pole positions. Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has been a personal dream come true.
In contrast, Aston Martin is gearing up to welcome legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey, who will be joining the team in March after departing from Red Bull, where he amassed a series of title-winning designs. Newey’s association with Alonso, a driver he had long aspired to work with, marks off a significant entry on his F1 bucket list — the other being Hamilton.
Alonso, while interacting with Spanish media at the F1 75 season launch event in London, defined Newey as a “free spirit” who operates as he deems fit, unhindered by his Aston Martin colleagues. Alonso firmly believes that the impact of this liaison will be more profound than what Hamilton can cultivate at Ferrari.
In Alonso’s own words, “Adrian Newey will always have more impact than any driver. Drivers come and go, the 20 of us here try to drive well and we have achieved things until we get to F1. I don’t know what Hamilton will bring or add to Ferrari, it will surely be less than what a designer can bring.”
Newey, who announced his departure from Red Bull before the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, entered a soft gardening leave phase, where he disassociated from the F1 team but continued to work on their RB17 hypercar project. At Aston Martin, Newey will focus on the F1 2026 ruleset revamp, involving new chassis and power unit regulations. Aston Martin will also assume the use of the Honda engine from Red Bull during this period.
Newey, during an appearance on the Autocar podcast, acknowledged the challenges ahead. He admitted being slightly behind schedule on the F1 2026 rules at Aston Martin, as teams were allowed to start working on their cars for that season from the beginning of 2025. However, he remained undeterred, stating that his former team could not prevent him from conceptualizing innovations to benefit Aston Martin.
Newey will also need to familiarize himself with his new team and understand the dynamics of working together. According to Eddie Jordan, Newey’s manager and former F1 team owner, Newey is expected to begin the design process for Aston Martin around the fifth or sixth of March.
