Rosberg hands Aston Martin unusual warning after big F1 signings

Nico Rosberg has warned Aston Martin it risks turning into the 'PSG of F1' after its high-profile recruitment drive.

With owner Lawrence Stroll keen to turn the team into one capable of challenging for the championship, Aston has launched an aggressive programme of recruitment, capturing big-names from Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes over recent years. 

The highest-profile of these is Adrian Newey, who will leave Red Bull and become managing technical partner on March 1. Enrico Cardile will leave Ferrari to join the project, whilst other new signings are expected to integrate into the existing structure that includes the likes of technical director Dan Fallows and engineering chief Tom McCullough.

Rosberg, the 2016 F1 champion, feels the strategy is akin to the one followed by Paris-Saint Germain, the French Ligue 1 team, who signed Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar to try and win the UEFA Champions League. 

PSG did make the 2020 final, the year before Messi joined, but lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich. The trio have all since left for pastures new, and the team has not made another final in the four attempts since. 

"Look at PSG, in soccer," Rosberg told Sky Sports F1.

"They had Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, all three at the same time. Three of the best soccer players of all time, and all the others were very good as well, but they never won the Champions League. 

"Because, of course, it's great to bring the greatest geniuses, the best managers on board.

"However, they still need to then gel, and work together optimally, because you're only as good as the whole team is collaboratively.

"Adrian Newey on his own is not going to be able to make that car a world-championship-winning car. He needs the rest of the team.

"Of course, he can give them a good direction, he can give very good guidance, but he still needs the team to excel with him.

"That remains to be seen. That's going to be a challenge definitely for them to integrate and make that into a family that is all pulling in the same direction."