Max Verstappen has stated he is “excited” to see Aston Martin's pace in 2026 following the influence of Adrian Newey.
Newey started his new role at Aston Martin earlier this year after announcing in early 2024 that he would depart Red Bull after almost 20 years of service.
The Briton oversaw the construction of eight title-winning cars at Red Bull, including the four challengers Verstappen drove en route to his championships.
Newey made his first appearance trackside with Aston Martin at last month's Monaco Grand Prix, with his entire focus on the 2026 car.
When asked about his Monaco presence, Vertsappen told media including RacingNews365: “It just reminds me of how he was with us when I see him in the garage.
“But there’s no point anymore to think about it. Adrian is not with us anymore.
“We have a lot of respect still for Adrian – or at least I have a lot of respect for Adrian.
“He’s a great person also, besides all the success that he has had with our team as well.”
F1 will undergo a significant regulation shift in 2026 and teams are eyeing the change as a chance to jump up the pecking order.
With Newey being renowned for his ability to uncover innovations amid fresh rules, Verstappen stated he is looking forward to seeing what the team can produce.
“To see him in green, of course, is a little bit different, but I’m happy for him. I hope he’s happy,” Verstappen added.
“That’s the most important at the end of the day. And I’m sure that he will contribute to their success.
“I’m excited to see what they can do next year, when he’s finally fully involved.”
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes and Nick Golding for a special episode of the podcast, as they are joined by Sebastien Buemi to look ahead to the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Canadian GP. Both events and also Formula E are discussed, and how quickly Max Verstappen would adjust to Le Mans.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
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