Alonso Celebrates Newey’s Ascent at Aston Martin: “A Logical Step”
Doha – Fernando Alonso has expressed his enthusiasm at the appointment of Adrian Newey as team principal of Aston Martin, calling it “the logical step” in the team’s ambition to become world champions. The announcement, which establishes Newey as a shareholder and principal technical partner, marks a significant change in the team’s leadership structure. This strategic move comes after a challenging season for Aston Martin, which currently holds eighth place in the championship, despite significant investments from owner Lawrence Stroll. Alonso, during the Qatar Grand Prix media day, stated that this leadership change is consistent with the team’s aspirations.This change also implies Andy Cowell’s transition to a role more focused on the power unit, overseeing the collaboration with Honda. Alonso emphasized the importance of the combination of talents in the team, highlighting Lawrence Stroll’s determination and the expectation of a better performance in 2026. The Spanish driver highlighted Newey’s performance-oriented mentality, anticipating an even more intense focus on the pursuit of perfection.Newey, recognized for his success in designing winning cars in Formula 1, is known for his collaborative approach with the drivers. Alonso and Newey, who have waited to work together during their careers, see this partnership as a perfect fit. The two-time world champion driver believes that Newey’s personality and approach will adapt perfectly to the team.“It’s good news,” commented Alonso. “I was already managing the technical development of the car, but also the team, supervising the necessary people and taking care of the areas we needed to reinforce. In a way, I was already doing a lot of internal management. And Andy was also doing a lot of management on the engine side and the integration of the engine to the chassis.”
Fernando Alonso
This leadership change comes in a context of constant evolution for the Aston Martin team, which seeks to consolidate its position in Formula 1. Alonso stated that stability and unity within the team are key to building something special in the coming years. With the completion of a new factory and a wind tunnel, Aston Martin is making adjustments to maximize its efficiency and achieve its goals.“With Adrian there is only one style, which is performance,” Alonso stated. “There is an unlimited search for performance and perfection. Great competitor, great leader. The whole team is not in the direction of performance [that we want] now, but I think that with Adrian, it will be even more extreme.”
Fernando Alonso
