In a sport of Senna’s, Vettel’s and Verstappen’s, Adrian Newey’s name rarely crops up, until recently when Aston Martin announced they had successfully carried out a coup and managed to sign the British Formula One car designer.
In 2026 when the F1’s newer regulations enter the stage, a newer generation of race cars will emerge and billionaire Lawrence Stroll has entrusted Newey, one of the oldest heads in the sport to build yet another aerodynamically pristine speed demon, the artist behind the sport’s adage ‘Machine Maketh Man.’
Who is Adrian Newey
A University of Southampton graduate, Newey’s specialisation would instantly speak volumes on why he is as good as he is. Since the age of 10, he had a keen interest in cars, which translated to a degree in aeronautics – Newey likened racing cars to spaceships and felt that the degree would come in use. He was instantly recruited into the world of racecars once his education was completed when he joined Fittipaldi F1. Since then his F1 career has spanned four decades.
Adrian Newey 🤝 @AstonMartinF1 #F1 pic.twitter.com/0Io77mmcFw
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 10, 2024
The March 881 was the first car designed by him in 1988 and then from there Newey moved to Williams, where he stayed on for six seasons. After a gradual fallout at Williams, Newey became McLaren’s technical director, a position he stayed on till 2006.
At that point, he felt that he had to work with up and coming teams, rather than established Formula One old heads. Instead of making his next move to one of the giants, he chose to join Red Bull, a team with which he would have the most success.
Newey’s most successful period
The British race car designer enjoyed unprecedented success at Red Bull, where he engineered two different eras of successful race cars. The first was with German four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel from 2010 to 2013. The next came when Max Verstappen helmed the Red Bull wheel – a run that still continues but is under the cloud of a resurgent McLaren and Lando Norris.
In his 40-year time at Formula One, he has seen it and gone through it all. It has gone from the lows of the Ayrton Senna crash, an incident for which Newey, who was then with Williams, was prosecuted but acquitted in Italian courts, to the highs of Max Verstappen’s dominant Red Bull 2023 season where the Dutch driver took 19 off 21 races – the most in a season ever.
An unsurpassed record of 25 F1 world championship titles.
A statement of the team’s ambition. pic.twitter.com/cYVaR0rhWi
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) September 10, 2024
Newey himself as designer, has won 12 Constructor’s championships – Five working with Williams, one with McLaren and the last six with Red Bull. During his stewardship of these racing teams, 13 Driver’ Championship titles were won.
What makes him special?
Historically, there is one advantage that most of his cars have enjoyed – better aerodynamics than their competition. There is also his shrewdness at understanding F1 regulations and toeing the fine line between acceptable and not, when it comes to his designs. Both of his successful periods at Red Bull came on the back of fleeting regulation changes – a part of the ever-changing Formula One world. What makes a move to Aston Martin interesting is that it checks all the Adrian Newey boxes rather neatly. It’s a move that has caused widespread media coverage in the Formula One world with many raised eyebrows over the financials of the deal – Newey now earns more than some drivers themselves.
“It became a natural choice.”
Adrian Newey reveals why he chose the Aston Martin Aramco project for his next chapter. pic.twitter.com/x8IkOd04p7
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) September 10, 2024
Why Aston Martin?
Bankrolled by billionaire Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin on paper is perfect for Newey. Having finished in the mid-table, yet a startup in the Formula One world, Aston Martin is at that sweet spot that he desires. Add the 2026 regulation changes that are about to enter the picture and Newey has a full year 2025 onwards to work on the new car. There is also the matter of money – at first many assumed he would join Ferrari and form a partnership with Lewis Hamilton. But instead, Ferrari chose to opt out of the bidding war with Stroll Sr.
2026 is also when Max Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull comes to a close and there is a very likely chance that Newey’s latest iteration will be tailored to the Dutchman’s singular driving strengths. At Aston Martin, the 65-year-old will enjoy a recently-constructed F1 factory and wind tunnel while also knowing that Honda, the engine that provides for the current Red Bull cars, has been signed on by Stroll for Aston Martin from the 2026 season onwards. Combine all these factors together, and it’s clear that he has the perfect setup for one last great racing car to be made.
