F1 Design Great Newey Joins Aston Martin

Adrian Newey has officially joined Aston Martin as their managing technical partner, a role he will begin in early March 2025. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the team's F1 base in Silverstone.

At 65 years old, Newey, widely considered one of the greatest F1 designers of all time, has also become an Aston Martin shareholder. The length of his contract was not initially disclosed, but BBC Sport reports that it is a five-year deal potentially worth up to £30 million annually, including bonuses and additional payments.

This salary figure surpasses the earnings of all F1 drivers except Dutchman Max Verstappen and British drivers Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris. According to Forbes, Newey will be among the top British sporting figures in terms of income, behind only Anthony Joshua, Rory McIlroy, and Tyson Fury.

Newey expressed his admiration for Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll, saying he was “hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment” shown by Stroll. The Canadian billionaire has heavily invested in the team, including funding a new factory with a state-of-the-art wind tunnel and securing a factory engine partnership with Honda starting in 2026. Honda has been supplying engines to Red Bull, the current world champions, since 2019.

Aston Martin also has two-time world champion Fernando Alonso contracted until the end of 2026. The team's other driver is Lawrence Stroll's son, Lance. Stroll described Newey's arrival as “a huge day, the most exciting day in the team's history.”

Alonso commented, “It's an incredible day for the team. Lawrence's vision is taking shape with this building, Honda, Adrian—this is definitely the team of the future and for me it is going to be an incredible opportunity professionally to work with Adrian.”

Newey stated that Stroll “is determined to create a world-beating team” and praised the development of the AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, noting that they “have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team.”

Starting in March, Newey will be fully committed to Aston Martin, a shift from his previous role at Red Bull, where he spent about half his time on F1. He emphasized the importance of his new role, saying, “Once I start I will be fully in. I need to be, I have to be. This is something different. It is that fresh challenge, new stimulation, and so I always do what I feel is needed for the best of the team.”

Newey will work alongside a team that includes Dan Fallows, the team's technical director and former aerodynamicist at Red Bull. Andy Cowell, formerly Mercedes engine chief, will join as CEO on October 1. Enrico Cardile, former Ferrari chassis technical director, will begin as chief technical officer in 2025.

Stroll highlighted Newey's role, stating that he will be “the leader” and that his addition is “the biggest part of the puzzle from the technical leadership point of view.” He added that Newey's leadership will have a “trickle-down effect through the whole organisation.”