After decades of rewriting the rules of Formula One design, Adrian Newey has embarked on perhaps his most ambitious project yet—transforming Aston Martin into a title-winning team. In his first extended interview since leaving Red Bull, the 66-year-old design legend opens up about his fresh start, the monumental challenges ahead, and why dreaming of luring Max Verstappen is premature. With sweeping regulation changes looming in 2026, Newey isn’t just chasing another championship. He’s chasing a legacy.
A new chapter, in green
Adrian Newey greets a room of reporters at Aston Martin’s Monaco paddock suite with a wry smile and a theatrical “Ta-da,” as if he’s just appeared in a magic trick. Dressed head-to-toe in team green and a crisp Aston Martin cap, the most successful designer in Formula One history cuts a relaxed yet quietly focused figure.
It’s his first in-depth interview since leaving Red Bull Racing—where he helped build one of the sport’s most dominant dynasties—and joining Aston Martin on March 1. And while the move raised eyebrows, especially after Red Bull’s recent dominance, Newey insists he has no regrets. “Everybody’s been very welcoming,” he says. “It’s been very easy to settle in.”
But beneath that ease lies a sharp observation. “There are lots of very good people here. We just need to try to get them working together in a slightly better-organised way.” It’s the kind of comment that signals both potential and growing pains—an experienced leader diagnosing the early symptoms of a team in transformation.
Designing against the clock
There’s no question about the ambition Aston Martin has shown. With billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll investing heavily—reportedly around £100 million over five years—the team is building state-of-the-art facilities and gearing up for the sweeping regulation changes arriving in 2026. New chassis, new engines, and sustainable fuels will upend the technical order, making the next two seasons critical for teams wanting to reset the pecking order.
If there’s ever a time to bring in Newey, it’s now. His career has thrived during times of major rule changes, from Williams’ active suspension era to the ground-effect dominance at Red Bull. And this time, he’s fully embedded in the process. Unlike the final years at Red Bull—where he moved into more of an advisory role after a cycling accident in 2021—Newey is now back in the trenches. “It’s been pretty much full-on since I started in March,” he says. “I had a weekend off two weeks ago. Other than that, I’ve been at the factory flat out.”
He’s honest, though, about the obstacles ahead. Aston Martin’s in-house simulator—a key development tool in modern F1—simply isn’t working. “It’s not correlating at all at the moment,” Newey admits. “It’s a fundamental research tool, so not having that is a limitation.” Fixing it will take two years, meaning the team will be designing with partial data and plenty of intuition. “We’ll be a bit blind for some time,” he adds. “We’ve just got to use experience and best judgment.”
On Verstappen, expectations, and pipe dreams
Speculation has swirled since Newey’s move that Max Verstappen might one day follow him to Silverstone. After all, Verstappen’s future at Red Bull seems less certain amid internal unrest and leadership shifts. But Newey is blunt: don’t count on it. “That’s a pipe dream,” he says with a chuckle. “There’s no point entertaining the possibility of signing a driver like Max until we can build a winning car.”
That pragmatism doesn’t mask his admiration for the Dutch world champion. “Max is clearly a phenomenal talent. He likes to break things down to a simple equation: where is the fastest car? If we’re ever to attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car.” And that’s not going to be easy. Aside from the simulator issues, Aston Martin are navigating major changes: adjusting to a new wind tunnel, moving into a new factory, transitioning to Honda power units in 2026, and designing their own gearbox instead of relying on Mercedes. “These aren’t small things,” Newey admits. “But the wind tunnel is arguably the best in Formula One. The factory is probably the best too.”
It’s a delicate balance of hope and realism—one that Newey seems to embrace. “Can we be competitive right away? Absolutely no idea,” he says with a grin. “No one else does either.”
Still chasing perfection
At 66, Newey could easily retire with his legacy secure: 12 constructors’ championships, 14 drivers’ titles, over 150 race wins, and three powerhouse teams transformed. Yet here he is, launching into the most uncertain project of his career, with his trademark sketchpad and 2B pencils still close at hand.
Part of his drive seems personal. His final years at Red Bull saw his influence reduced, and whispers about whether he’d lost his edge clearly struck a nerve. “My wife says I go into a ‘design trance’,” he says, smiling toward Amanda, seated in the back of the room. “All my processing power goes into trying to design a fast racing car.”
Outside the factory, he remains as active and unconventional as ever—racing classic cars, sailing yachts, and challenging himself. He recently took delivery of an Oyster 885 yacht, moored in Monaco, and plans to sail down the Riviera after the Grand Prix. This is not a man winding down. This is a man determined to go out on his own terms.
His journey—from a rebellious teen expelled from Repton, to a Leamington Spa tech student nearly failing his diploma, to the engineering savant who changed F1 forever—is the stuff of motorsport folklore. But even after all the titles and triumphs, the question remains: can he do it again, one last time, with Aston Martin? Newey doesn’t pretend to know. But his presence signals that Aston Martin won’t be playing it safe. They’re going for glory—and they’ve just handed the wheel to the best in the business.
In an era increasingly defined by algorithms and specialisation, Adrian Newey remains a rare breed: a hands-on visionary with the ability to make speed out of sketches. Whether Aston Martin becomes his fourth championship-winning team or not, the project promises to be one of the most compelling stories in F1’s next chapter. Newey is still drawing—and dreaming.
