Adrian Newey’s arrival at Aston Martin is still a month and a half away. But there is immense excitement among fans about what kind of impact will the British designer have on the team. Fernando Alonso too is excited about Newey coming as Aston Martin’s new technical honcho.
Having competed against some of the cars the 66-year-old designed back in the early 2010s, Alonso knows the legendary British aerodynamicist’s abilities. The Spaniard would have done anything to get the opportunity to race in a Newey-designed car.
Finally, his wish will materialize into reality in 2026. However, Alonso knows that this could be his last chance to win his elusive third-world championship. The 43-year-old is optimistic that Newey can bolster Aston Martin’s chances of producing a championship-winning car and how that would be quite a big deal.
“We must be excited about 2026. Winning the World Championship is a big deal, but I already know that expectations are going to be high. With Adrian Newey, it’s only natural that Aston Martin is a team to be reckoned with. We’re all excited,” Alonso stated in an interview with Spanish network DAZN.
Alonso signed a contract extension with Aston Martin in April 2024, which takes him through to the end of the 2026 season when new engine and aero regulations come into effect. Although the two-time world champion has an option to extend his deal for 2027, he has stated that he will be treating 2026 as his final F1 season to begin with.
Fernando Alonso: “Hay que ILUSIONARSE en 2026”
“Ganar el Mundial son palabras mayores, pero ya sé que las expectativas van a ser altas”.
“Con Adrian Newey, es normal que Aston Martin sea un equipo a tener en cuenta. Estamos todos ilusionados”.#F1 pic.twitter.com/Ns2R9dfTW3
— Fórmula Directa (@FormulaDirecta) January 17, 2025
Alonso has been desperate to clinch a third-world title for almost two decades. Knowing that Newey could provide him with a title-winning car, he is seeing the 2026 regulations reset as a make-or-break juncture. Because if he cannot fight for the championship in ’26, the Spaniard would lose all hope and accept the bitter reality.
Can Newey boost Aston Martin and Alonso’s title hopes?
Newey is arriving at Aston Martin with the momentum of winning four consecutive drivers’ world championships and two Constructors’ titles with Red Bull in the past four seasons. Newey’s CV in F1 is quite illustrious with over 25 championships to his name with different teams like Red Bull, McLaren, and Williams.
Aston Martin are also hoping that the 66-year-old aero genius can weave his magic on their car and make them a championship contender. Doing so in his first season itself will be too steep of an ask. Even the Silverstone outfit knows that and have stated that Newey may not be able to have an impact on its 2025 car.
Nevertheless, the structural changes that the team has made, with their new CEO Andy Cowell taking over as the team principal as well, and Mike Krack assuming the role of the Chief Trackside officer, are all towards laying a foundation for Newey to lead them towards a renaissance in 2026. Lawrence Stroll’s initiative of upgrading the Silverstone campus with a state-of-the-art factory and wind tunnel will also be finished in 2025.
So, Newey will have all the technological tools and equipment to make a dominant 2026 car for Aston Martin. If the British team is able to win the championship in 2026 — that too with Alonso — it will be a watershed moment in F1.
