Adrian Newey explains reason behind shock team principal move

Adrian Newey has offered an insight into the decision to take over the team principal role at Aston Martin in 2026.

The Silverstone-based squad announced earlier this week that Newey, who has been overseeing the construction of its 2026 car, will run day-to-day duties next year.

Newey will take over from Andy Cowell, who is transitioning to the position of chief strategy officer and assist with the integration of Honda as a power unit supplier.

Newey asserted his own presence trackside in the opening rounds of the new season resulted in the decision to change roles.

"To be perfectly honest, it became very evident that, with the challenge of the 2026 PU and Andy's skillset in terms of helping the three-way relationship between Honda, Aramco and ourselves, it is absolutely his skillset," Newey told Sky F1.

"So he very magnanimously volunteered to be heavily involved in that through the first part of 2026.

"That left a kind of, 'OK, who's going to be team principal?' 

“And since I'm going to be doing all the early races anyway, it doesn't actually particularly change my workload, because I'm there anyway, so I may as well pick up that bit."

Newey's expertise is rooted in car construction and development, having designed various championship-winning cars throughout his F1 career.

The Briton brushed off concerns that his new role will distract from his car development responsibilities as Aston Martin targets a step up in the pecking order at the start of the sport's new era.

“That's really what I want to and need to do,” he said. 

“That's what gets me out of bed in the morning. So I'm determined not to dilute that.”