Adrian Newey didn’t waste a moment when he stepped into Aston Martin’s world last week to begin his tenure as Team Silverstone’s Managing Technical Partner.
At 66, Newey’s legendary reputation precedes him, with owner Lawrence Stroll dubbing him “the greatest in the world at what he does” and the linchpin of Aston Martin’s technical ambitions.
For a team that ambitions to dominate F1, with the help of a cutting-edge factory and campus and a works Honda engine deal in 2026, Newey’s arrival is a game-changer.
Speaking ahead of this week’s 2025 season opener in Australia, Aston team principal Andy Cowen painted a vivid picture of Newey’s first day – a seamless dive into the heart of his new team’s operations.
Straight to Work, No Fanfare
Cowell revealed how Newey quietly hit the ground running on his first day on the job.
“There’s been huge interest in Adrian’s arrival but he’s not one for great ceremony,” said the Briton in an interview published on the official Aston Martin website.
“He walked into his office at the AMR Technology Campus, put his briefcase down, and was in a concept meeting almost straight away, discussing an area of the car.
“He’s embedded himself immediately. He’s met all our exec team and quickly immersed himself with our engineers, attentively listening to what people are saying about the work they’ve done.”
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Newey’s approach is pure engineering grit, insisted Cowell.
“Ultimately, he’s an engineer helping engineer our race cars. He’s just rolled his sleeves up and got straight into the job.
“He’s asking questions, he’s offering opinions and he’s bringing a fresh perspective. We’re delighted to have him.”
From the moment he arrived, Newey’s focus was razor-sharp, dissecting designs and sparking ideas, his decades of expertise already rippling through the team’s engineering department.
Eyes on the Track
As Aston Martin gears up for the Australian Grand Prix, Cowell’s excitement is palpable.
“We’re all excited to be in Australia and experience the thrill of our first race of the season,” he commented.
“Naturally, we cannot wait to hit the track with the AMR25; we’re racers – competing on the track is where we want to be.”
Winter efforts honed the AMR25’s drivability, with testing data and driver feedback from Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll showing promise.
“Our efforts over the winter have been focused on making the car more driveable and benign for our drivers,” Cowell said.
“The data from testing and the feedback from both Lance and Fernando suggests we have made steps forward in this regard, but now we want to confirm this progress at the season-opening Grand Prix.
“There are still areas of the car we need to continue to improve – you’re always learning in F1 – so having a race weekend’s worth of data will be invaluable as we look to develop the car,” Cowell noted.
With Newey now in the fold, Aston Martin isn’t just racing for today – it’s building for tomorrow, one concept meeting at a time.
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