Given the poor way in which the 2025 season has shaped up so far for Aston Martin, most people associated with the team have half a mind to skip ahead to next year, when the regulations reset. But not everything is as straightforward as it seems. The arrival of aero-genius Adrian Newey, which was expected to take them to new heights, could become a deterring factor.
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll is determined to win a championship someday, and it’s unlikely he’ll rest until he’s put everything on the line. He signed two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, invested over $200 million in upgrading their Silverstone facilities, and brought in Newey on a salary north of $30 million.
Aston Martin also struck a deal with engine-maker Honda, seeing that the Japanese auto giants powered Red Bull to two Constructors’ titles and Max Verstappen to four Drivers’ titles in the last four years.
But former F1 boss Peter Windsor believes that the fact that Newey and Stroll are not seeing eye-to-eye already might put water on the mission of producing a strong contender for this season, and a championship-winning car in 2026.
“If you’re thinking about 2026, you’ve got to think Aston Martin are going to be a front-runner. I would be shocked if they’re not capable of putting a car on the podium in the first two or three races next year,” said Windsor, adding that things can be salvaged if the two leaders of the team get on the same page.
“Adrian is a bargain”
Lawrence Stroll on the money required to bring Adrian Newey in ️ pic.twitter.com/IWuRDoqWuM
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 10, 2024
“I can’t imagine how they wouldn’t be [among the frontrunners], unless there’s some major glitch in the Stroll–Adrian Newey relationship—which, of course, is always possible,” Windsor added.
The former Ferrari man’s speculation has some credence. There have been others who have corroborated it.
According to former Red Bull development driver Robert Doornbos, Stroll was reportedly unhappy that Newey was focusing entirely on the 2026 car, with little to no development effort going into the 2025 challenger.
“The story now goes around that he is furious that Adrian Newey does not want to interfere with the 2025 car,” Doornbos revealed.
However, considering Aston Martin’s ambition to fight for wins — and ultimately the championship — it makes sense for Newey to focus on the 2026 car, given the major regulation overhaul next year. That said, Stroll wouldn’t want his team to completely write off the 2025 season, as every position higher in the standings brings in millions more in prize money.
Aston Martin’s struggles have been clear this season. They currently sit seventh in the standings with just 14 points — six behind sixth-placed Haas and 23 behind fifth-placed Williams. Having finished fifth in both 2023 and 2024, Stroll will be keen to at least end the year in that position.
Their poor form isn’t just down to an underwhelming car, but also Alonso’s uncharacteristically poor start to the season.
My angle of the Fernando Alonso crash was crazyyyy!!
Craziest #F1Sprint I’ve seen!#Formula1 @f1miami @F1 pic.twitter.com/xTgXs5qcVn
— Molly Glassman (@MollyGlassman2) May 3, 2025
The 43-year-old has yet to score a point after six races and has been involved in multiple incidents. While some, like the collision with Liam Lawson in Miami, weren’t his fault, others, such as the ones in Australia and Japan, were down to driver error.
If Aston Martin hope to climb the Constructors’ standings, they’ll need not only technical improvements but also a return to form from their star driver.
