Double Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso reckons Adrian Newey becoming the Aston Martin team principal in 2026 is a ‘logical step’ for the Silverstone squad.
Aston Martin confirmed a restructuring on Wednesday, as Newey will move from managing technical partner to team boss with incumbent Andy Cowell becoming chief strategy officer.
It comes after a disappointing season for the British outfit, which is eighth in the championship and far from the levels it reached in 2023 with six podiums in the opening eight grands prix.
This year has also not been of the level that ambitious owner Lawrence Stroll has expected, given he’s invested significantly since taking over in 2018 – then named Racing Point Force India.
One of his biggest moves was signing Newey at the start of this year and the legendary engineer has been working hard on the 2026 regulation change – with it initially thought that his main focus was simply designing the car.
So, when Alonso was asked ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix if he ever saw Newey making the transition, the Aston Martin driver said: “Not really. We were discussing more technical stuff about the car than any other thing or future dreams, but yeah, it’s good news.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photo by: Dom Gibbons / LAT Images via Getty Images
“He was, anyway, managing in a way the technical development of the car, but also the team, the people that were needed and taking care of which areas we need to reinforce as a team, which other areas were less important.
“So, in a way, he was doing internally a lot of management and Andy was doing a lot of management as well on the engine side and engine integration to the chassis. It was maybe a normal logic step into 2026.”
The move comes just a year into Cowell’s tenure, having previously headed the Mercedes powertrain department where he was crucial for its dominant run from 2014 to 2021.
Alonso therefore thinks this sets Aston Martin up for success in the new rules era, where it will become a Honda works’ outfit, thus ending its tenure as a Mercedes customer.
“We have probably the two best people,” the Spaniard added. “One doing the chassis and the team, one [doing] the engine integration and the team as well.
“And we have a very strong leader with Lawrence, with the determination that Lawrence has and the commitment that he’s shown for many, many years already.
Lawrence Stroll, Owner of Aston Martin F1 Team
Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images
“So between the three of them, I think we are in good hands. Let’s move into 2026 with hopefully a better car.”
It is such experience that Alonso thinks is perfect for guiding Aston given its growing workforce, having recently opened up a new facility across the road from Silverstone circuit.
“I think with Adrian, there is only one style, which is performance,” said Alonso, when asked about what his leadership style will be. “There is no other word. There is just the unlimited search for performance and perfection. Great competitor, great leader.
“So I think the whole team, which is not that we are not into the performance direction now, but I think with Adrian, it will be even more extreme. If we can embrace that approach from everybody. We cannot forget this team is still very new and now the team grew up so quickly in the last two or three years.
“So a lot of our employees are new to the sport, are young, energetic people that we need the guidance of Adrian, or these great leaders, that we have to teach them what is the way to succeed in Formula 1.
“We have the two most successful individuals ever in the sport, Andy Cowell and Adrian Newey.”
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– The Autosport.com Team
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