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Adrian Newey has shared an intriguing explanation for his decision to join Aston Martin in 2025, despite being heavily linked with a potential move to Ferrari, where he could have formed a dream team with Lewis Hamilton. Speculation had been rife about Newey’s future since the announcement in May that he would be leaving Red Bull during the first quarter of 2024, leading many to wonder whether he might end up at Ferrari.
The possibility of Newey, one of the most celebrated designers in motorsport history, partnering with Hamilton at Ferrari sparked excitement among fans. The combination of Hamilton’s driving prowess and Newey’s engineering genius seemed like a match made in heaven, especially since Hamilton himself had expressed admiration for Newey’s work. Hamilton even admitted that it would be a “privilege” to work with Newey, and that he was “very flattered” by the rumors suggesting they might team up.
However, as time passed, the Ferrari rumors began to lose momentum, and attention shifted toward Aston Martin as Newey’s next potential destination. In a recent press conference, Newey officially confirmed that he would be joining Aston Martin as their Managing Technical Partner in 2025. When asked about how seriously he had considered the prospect of joining Ferrari, and what ultimately led him to choose Aston Martin, Newey provided a thoughtful response.
Newey acknowledged the significant interest from multiple teams, but ultimately felt that Aston Martin was the right fit for him at this stage in his career. “I think from my part, I was very flattered by the number of teams that did approach me,” Newey explained. “I had discussions with some of those teams, not all of them. In the end, it became a very clear and natural choice, for all the reasons I stated earlier in the conference.”
One of the main reasons for his decision was the desire for a “new challenge.” After spending a great deal of time reflecting on his career and his next steps, Newey decided it was time to embark on something different. “Towards the end of April, I decided that I needed to do something different,” Newey admitted. “I spent a lot of time with Mandy, my wife, kind of discussing what’s next… What do we do? Do we go off and sail around the world? Do I do something different?”
Newey, now 65 years old, recognized that he had already achieved much more than he had ever imagined when he first entered the world of motorsport. From a young age, he aspired to be a designer in motor racing, and his career has far exceeded his wildest dreams. But now, he felt it was time to keep things fresh and pursue a new opportunity that would challenge him in different ways.
Newey also highlighted his long-standing relationship with Lawrence Stroll, the owner of Aston Martin, as a key factor in his decision. The two have known each other for years, often crossing paths at the gym during races in the Middle East and Far East. Stroll’s passion for the sport and his hands-on approach to running Aston Martin resonated with Newey, reminding him of the “old-school” days when team owners were more directly involved in the day-to-day operations of their teams.
“The reality is, if you go back 20 years, what we now call Team Principals were actually the owners of the teams—Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, etcetera. In this modern era, Lawrence is actually unique in being the only properly active team owner,” Newey explained. “It’s a different feeling when you have somebody like Lawrence involved like that, it’s back to the old-school model.”
Another major draw for Newey was the opportunity to become a shareholder and a partner at Aston Martin, something that had never been offered to him before. This chance to have a more significant role in shaping the future of the team was incredibly appealing to Newey, who saw it as a natural progression in his career. “To have the chance to be a shareholder and a partner is something that has never really been, or hasn’t been offered to me before. It’s [an opportunity] I’m very much looking forward to. It became a very natural choice,” Newey said.
Despite the allure of working alongside Hamilton at Ferrari, Newey’s decision to join Aston Martin was driven by a combination of personal and professional factors. The desire for a new challenge, his connection with Lawrence Stroll, and the unique opportunity to be a shareholder all played a role in his decision to join the Silverstone-based team.
As Newey prepares to start his new role at Aston Martin on March 1, 2025, the motorsport world will be eagerly watching to see how his involvement impacts the team’s performance. With Newey’s renowned design expertise and Stroll’s commitment to building a competitive team, Aston Martin could be poised for significant growth in the coming years. While the dream of seeing Newey and Hamilton together at Ferrari may have faded, Newey’s move to Aston Martin promises to bring a new chapter of excitement to Formula 1.