Sport

F1 designer Adrian Newey signs Aston Martin deal after quitting Red Bull

Newey to start in March on deal worth up to €35.5m a year and becomes a shareholder in the team

Fernando Alonso, Adrian Newey, Lawrence Stroll and Lance Stroll at a press conference at Aston Martin headquarters on Tuesday announcing Newey as the team's new chief designer. Photograph: Zak Mauger/Getty Images for Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso, Adrian Newey, Lawrence Stroll and Lance Stroll at a press conference at Aston Martin headquarters on Tuesday announcing Newey as the team's new chief designer. Photograph: Zak Mauger/Getty Images for Aston Martin
Giles Richards
Tue Sept 10 2024 - 14:51

Aston Martin have confirmed that Formula One’s most successful designer of the modern era, Adrian Newey, is to join the team next season. Newey has signed a long-term deal with the British marque, worth what is believed to be up to £30 million (€35.5 million) a year and will also become a shareholder in the team in another bold statement of intent from Aston Martin’s billionaire owner, Lawrence Stroll.

Newey was officially announced as Aston Martin’s new managing technical partner on Tuesday morning at the team’s factory at Silverstone with the 65-year-old expected to start work with the team and its drivers, double world champion Fernando Alonso and Stroll’s son Lance, in March of next year.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Aston Martin team,” he said. “I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with. Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team.”

The appointment represents a major coup for Aston, with Newey’s skills considered invaluable in interpreting and exploiting regulations to deliver extraordinarily competitive cars, often with a significant advantage especially at the onset of a set of new regulations. He will join Aston in time to have a material impact on the design of their new car for the next major rules reset in 2026.

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“It’s the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport,” said Stroll. “Another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships.”

Newey has, rightly, earned a formidable reputation in F1 and is one of the most sought-after talents in the paddock. Cars he has played a key role in designing have taken 12 drivers’ and 13 constructors’ championships across three different teams, Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.

Since his first with Nigel Mansell and Williams in 1992 he has helped deliver titles for Alain Prost, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and Sebastian Vettel. Most recently his design of the new Red Bull proved outstanding, far ahead of the rest of the field, enabling Verstappen to dominate the last two seasons, including taking 19 wins from 22 races last year. – Guardian