Since Adrian Newey left Red Bull’s F1 operations in May, the reigning Champions have experienced a sharp decline. Although this cannot be entirely attributed to Newey’s exit, it is easy to see the significance of his absence at Red Bull. After months of negotiations across the field, Adrian Newey is set to become part of the Aston Martin project.
Adrian Newey’s next team is set to be confirmed soon
Aston Martin clear the favourites
When Newey first became a free agent, several teams were in the race to sign him. Ferrari and Aston Martin were seen as the front-runners, with both teams showing an interest in the British engineer’s services.
In the months since, Ferrari have been ruled out of contention. The Italian outfit were unable to reach an agreement with the 65-year-old, whose expectations did not align with the role Fred Vasseur envisioned.
Vasseur has emphasised that the collective, rather than one individual, is the priority at the Scuderia. Preferring to maintain the team’s current technical structure, the French team principal is understood to have ended his pursuit of Adrian Newey.
Meanwhile, Aston Martin have remained the favourites to secure Newey’s services. He was seen visiting the Silverstone factory before the summer break, undoubtedly evaluating the potential of Lawrence Stroll’s project.
Aston’s interest in Newey cam well before his Red Bull exit was confirmed. The British squad made their first advances at the Saudi Arabia GP, where they gauged his openness to a move away from Milton Keynes.
Negotiations have advanced since then, with Lawrence Stroll seeing the 65-year-old as central to the team’s success in the 2026 regulations. Excluding a huge U-turn, Adrian Newey is on his way to Aston Martin.
Williams, Alpine are outside contenders
Despite Aston’s status as clear favourites, other teams have persisted in their attempts to secure Newey’s signature.
Williams emerged as a surprise name to enter negotiations with the engineering genius. Team principal James Vowles has spoken candidly about this, stating that – regardless of their chances of success – it would be negligent not to at least enter talks.
The Grove-based team are building a long-term project, with significant investment going into improving infrastructure and recruiting personnel.
Whilst lacking the financial firepower of Aston Martin, the magnitude of the Williams name gave them a seat at the table in negotiations.
Meanwhile, Alpine have also tried to convince Adrian Newey to join their project. Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore, who has been given the task of putting Enstone at the front, has spoken about potentially making this signing.
However, Alpine’s chances are seen as extremely low. A move to the French outfit would be one of the biggest shocks in F1.
As mentioned previously, Aston Martin are in Pole Position to announce Adrian Newey’s arrival. An announcement in September has been anticipated for some time.
Consistent with the consensus in the paddock, Newey is expected to be announced as part of the project at Silverstone. His involvement in the team will first be felt in 2026 when a new generation of F1 begins.
