Adrian Newey ignored Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari for Aston Martin – here’s why

When Adrian Newey stunned Formula 1 by announcing his departure from the all-powerful Red Bull in May, it seemed there was only one right place for the legendary designer’s swan song. Sky F1 commentator Martin Brundle suggested as much when he asked Newey in Miami: “Do you look good in red?!”

Now we know the answer: not good enough, it seems. What will be Ferrari’s loss will be Aston Martin’s gain. Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll has long been clear about his ambitions to take his team to the forefront of the world championship, and with today’s signing of F1’s most respected design guru – as a shareholder in the company in a lucrative £20m-a-year deal over five years – the Canadian billionaire has made his biggest statement yet.

“As soon as Adrian became available, we knew we had to do it,” Stroll said. “Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’re serious — and so is he.”

For Ferrari, who have tried and failed to sign Newey four times in 30 years, it is a snub they will not want to ignore. Their performances, following Charles Leclerc’s victory in Monza, appear to be on the rise anyway. But for Lewis Hamilton, who joins next year from Mercedes in a last-ditch bid for a record eighth world title, it is an unmistakable blow.

Ferrari didn’t want to get into a bidding war for Newey, and given that the 65-year-old will be the fourth-highest-paid man in the sport, behind Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton, that’s understandable. But the designer’s wealth of knowledge and experience is, in a way, priceless.

As Stroll said at Tuesday’s swanky announcement at their new, state-of-the-art £200m Silverstone circuit, in his mind it is “an opportunity”. Newey has proven that throughout a career that has brought him 13 drivers’ and 12 constructors’ titles, preparing winning cars at Williams and McLaren before Red Bull.

His extraordinary ingenuity and knowledge of this era of cars was particularly evident. He wrote his thesis during his Aeronautics and Astronautics studies at the University of Southampton on ground-level aerodynamics. This new set of regulations suited him perfectly, so much so that last year he was the chief architect of the RB19: statistically the most dominant car in F1’s 74-year history. Red Bull won 21 of the 22 races.

His influence on the world championship, sometimes greater than that of the drivers in the cockpit, is undeniable. But why not one last time with Ferrari, the most prestigious team in the sport? Why Aston Martin, currently the fifth fastest team on the grid?

First, there are the basics. At £20m a year – which could rise to almost £30m with bonuses – the salary is unprecedented for a designer or mechanic. He also becomes a shareholder in his unique title of managing technical partner. The five-year contract also gives Newey time to succeed at a team that will focus on new engine and chassis regulations in 2026.

New F1 regulations? There’s nothing Newey likes to sink his teeth or pencil into more.

“The 2026 rules are an opportunity, a reset for everyone,” Newey said on Tuesday. “When I said I would leave my old team (Red Bull), I was very honoured to have received so many offers from different teams.

“But Lawrence’s passion and enthusiasm are very engaging and compelling. And the opportunity to become a shareholder and partner had not been offered to me before. It was a very natural fit.”

Team owner Stroll, whose son Lance is one of the team’s drivers alongside two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, has invested heavily in Aston Martin’s Formula One project and is a key element behind Newey’s arrival. In fact, he has been courting the British design guru for several years, with the pair regularly bumping into each other during gym sessions at races in the Middle East.

Stroll took over in 2018 when Force India – then Racing Point, now Aston Martin – has a new wind tunnel next to its headquarters that will be operational by the end of the year. He secured Honda as the team’s engine partner from 2026, and the Japanese manufacturer worked with Newey during Max Verstappen’s run of titles at Red Bull.

Newey will also see familiar faces at the factory. Dan Fallows, who worked as aerodynamicist under Newey at Red Bull from 2006 to 2021, has joined Aston Martin as technical director in 2022. He will also be joined by former Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell, who joins as CEO next month, and former Ferrari chassis technical director Enrico Cardile, all respected names in their field.

Aston are now billing themselves as “the team of the future of F1”, such is the level of investment in their staff and facilities. The ambition is clear and Newey, who had offers from former teams Williams and McLaren, as well as a late offer from Alpine, simply couldn’t refuse.

“I was very humbled by the number of teams that approached me and I spoke to some of them,” Newey revealed. “I decided to stay at Red Bull for the Suzuka weekend (in April). I really had no idea what was going to happen next. But by the end of June… I felt that working as a designer in motor racing, over 90% of my career, had been incredibly enjoyable.

“What is the pinnacle of man and machine? It’s definitely Formula 1. I want to stay at the top as long as people want me.”

The role that his wife Amanda played in his decision should not be underestimated either. Newey made frequent reference to her influence at Tuesday’s press conference, and rather than uprooting their lives to Maranello, Italy, and moving to Ferrari, staying in the UK was the better option.

From 2 March 2025, when Newey officially begins his new role, it will be fascinating to see what trajectory Aston takes and how quickly Newey’s visionary instincts take hold of the car. Next season will be the final year of the current regulations, with 2026 providing a fresh start for the teams. Alonso, 43, has already signed a contract until the end of the season, eager to experience the first car that Newey will truly carve in his own image.

Further ahead, there are ambitions to bring Verstappen into the team. The Dutchman is unsettled at Red Bull amid an ongoing power struggle – highlighted by the Christian Horner controversy earlier this season – and a conflicted relationship between his father, Jose, and the team boss.

Could a reunion with Newey be on the cards, either as Alonso’s replacement or alongside him? Let’s put it this way: Stroll Snr. is unlikely to sack his son.

Nevertheless, today’s announcement is a powerful statement of intent. In a crowded field of top contenders in F1, the dial has moved towards Aston with the signing of Newey – a leading mind in the sport. And if he goes on to achieve more success and championships with his fourth and likely final team, it will only add to the lustre of a legacy that is already unmatched in Formula 1 history.