Since Fernando Alonso learned of the official announcement regarding Adrian Newey’s arrival at Aston Martin, his face, his expressions have completely changed.
After a difficult first part of the season, marked by results well below initial expectations, the present has become sweeter as we wait for dessert, the moment when Adrian Newey will be able to get his hands on and get his ideas on the next single-seaters from the British manufacturer, now in the hands of Lawrence Stroll.
Today the main topic, at least with Fernando Alonso, could only be the arrival at Silverstone of the genius from Stratford-upon-Avon. The Asturian did not hide his happiness at all, because he knows that in the next few years, at least starting from 2026, he will have the possibility of having a potentially winning single-seater.
“It’s been a positive week for the team with the announcement of Adrian,” Fernando was quick to admit. “He’s a great addition and I think Aston Martin is the team of the future, we’re opening new buildings, we’ll be finishing the wind tunnel in January, we’ve got Aramco, the best partner in the world, and now Adrian, so Lawrence’s (Stroll) vision is coming together.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, and Adrian Newey
Photo by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Images
“I sent him a message, as I’m sure everyone did. I also saw him at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix and we talked for half an hour, we all tried to convince him and in the end Lawrence, his vision, his new factory and Honda were the deciding factors.”
Asked if Newey could already have an impact on the design of the AMR25, the single-seater for the next Formula 1 World Championship, Alonso was cautious. The design of the next car is already at an advanced stage, so it is reasonable to expect Newey to have an impact, but starting with the 2026 car.
“I don’t think Adrian can have an influence on the 2025 car yet, I would like to say yes, but I don’t think so. In March 2025 I think the focus will be on 2026 and the regulations will change, and he will start there, so until I know everyone and he has settled in at the factory it will be April, so a lot of time will have to pass in 2025. I hope we will fight for the title, but I think it will be in 2026 that he will have an influence on the car”, concluded the two-time world champion.