Aston Martin is poised to secure the services of Adrian Newey who is expected to join the team after leaving Red Bull

It has been confirmed that legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey will be joining Aston Martin in 2025 after his departure from Red Bull. The 65-year-old’s exit from his role as chief technical officer at Red Bull was confirmed in May, with an apparent breakdown in his relationship with team principal Christian Horner. Newey has been a key figure in the design of cars that won 13 titles for Red Bull since he joined the team in 2006.

Reports from Sky Sports News revealed that both Ferrari and Aston Martin had approached Newey, with the latter even hosting him at their Silverstone factory in June. It has been understood that Newey’s annual salary at Aston Martin will amount to $26 million (£19.8 million) and he is expected to commence his role in March 2025. While Aston Martin did not provide a comment to Sky Sports News when approached, it is believed that Newey’s move will be officially confirmed at a press conference scheduled for Tuesday.

The move to Aston Martin will see Newey working alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and is expected to play a pivotal role in the design of Aston Martin’s 2026 car, coinciding with the introduction of new technical regulations. Newey has a proven track record of designing race-winning F1 cars, especially during periods of regulation changes, as demonstrated most recently in 2022 with Red Bull.

Throughout his career at Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull, Newey has designed 14 championship-winning F1 cars, showcasing his immense contribution to the sport. Aston Martin, on the other hand, has faced challenges in the 2024 season, with a noticeable decline in their performance compared to the previous year. Despite this, the team’s ambition to succeed in F1 is evident with investments in a new factory and wind tunnel, underlining their commitment to reclaiming their competitive edge.

Moreover, with the announcement that Honda will supply Aston Martin with a power unit from 2026, there is a clear focus on future competitiveness. Fernando Alonso’s belief in the team’s potential further emphasizes the promising outlook for Aston Martin in the upcoming seasons.

By joining Aston Martin, Newey will also be reunited with his former colleague, Dan Fallows, who was a pivotal figure in Sebastian Vettel’s four consecutive titles between 2010 and 2013. This strategic appointment signals a strengthened technical team within Aston Martin and sets the stage for a compelling collaboration between Newey and the existing talent.

In choosing to join Aston Martin, Newey also retains his base in the United Kingdom, an aspect that would have required reconsideration if he had opted to join Ferrari. The anticipation surrounding Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin adds an exciting dimension to the future of the team and the wider Formula 1 landscape.