Former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey has vowed to deliver Aston Martin’s first ever Formula 1 world championship after confirming his move to the historic British marque.
Newey, 65, has agreed to join the Silverstone-based outfit as managing technical partner on a long-term contract worth up to £30m a year which also includes equity in the team.
The design mastermind behind 13 drivers’ titles is the closest thing to a guarantee of success in the sport and his signature is a major coup for Aston Martin and boss Lawrence Stroll.
“I am thrilled to be joining Aston Martin,” said Newey. “I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with.
“Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport.
“His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new Aston Martin Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in.
“They have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal.”
Newey is scheduled to take up the position in March 2025 and play a key role in developing Aston Martin’s car for the following year, when F1 regulations are due to change.
His move is the latest twist to a season in which the dominance that he helped to establish at Red Bull has been challenged by McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Canadian billionaire Stroll has been determined to turn Aston Martin into title contenders since investing in the carmaker in 2020 and taking over the Racing Point F1 team the following year.
“This is huge news. Adrian is the best in the world at what he does – he is at the top of his game – and I am incredibly proud that he is joining Aston Martin,” said Stroll.
“It’s the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula 1 team capable of fighting for world championships.
“As soon as Adrian became available, we knew we had to make it happen. Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Adrian is a racer and one of the most competitive people I have ever met. When he saw what we have built at Silverstone, he quickly understood what we are trying to achieve.
“We mean business – and so does he. Adrian shares our hunger and ambition, he believes in this project, and he will help us write the next chapter in Aston Martin’s Formula 1 story.”
Newey is set to work with a driver line-up comprised of veteran former champion Fernando Alonso and Stroll’s 25-year-old son Lance at Aston Martin next year.