Adrian Newey has made it clear that Aston Martin’s primary focus must remain on building a winning Formula 1 car – rather than speculating on attracting reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
The legendary designer, now serving as Managing Technical Partner at Aston, insists that competitiveness – not speculation – is what will ultimately sway top talent.
With Aston Martin’s transformation in full swing and a powerhouse leadership team in place – including CEO Andy Cowell, former Ferrari tech chief Enrico Cardile, and Honda as its 2026 power unit partner – the team has become one of the most ambitious projects on the grid.
But Newey, speaking during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, cautioned against premature talk of Verstappen switching allegiances.
"If We're to Ever Attract Max…"
“Max is clearly a phenomenal talent, and he's a supreme competitor, and part of that means that Max likes to break things down to a simple common equation, if you like,” Newey said when asked about the swirling Verstappen rumours.
“In this particular case, that's choosing a team that he believes will deliver the fastest car.
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“So, if we're to ever attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. There's no point in pipe-dreaming about anything else from now.”
While reports – including some outlandish claims of a multi-year $1 billion offer – have linked Verstappen to the Silverstone-based team, Newey was unequivocal: results will be the only currency that counts.
Red Bull's resurgence has given the Dutchman little incentive to jump ship, even if performance clauses in his contract allow for flexibility if championship contention fades.
But with F1’s sweeping regulation changes coming in 2026, the opportunity for a power shift looms – and Newey – who worked for nine seasons alongside Verstappen at Red Bull – knows that it’s up to Aston Martin to seize it.
Long-Term Vision Includes Alonso and Stroll
Beyond Verstappen, Newey is excited about the drivers currently in the Aston Martin garage, especially two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, with whom he is now collaborating for the first time.
“Fernando, he's such a cool character,” Newey said. “He's been an enemy for many years along with Lewis [Hamilton], and I think I've said before that you can only work with so many drivers, but two drivers I always felt I would enjoy working with were Lewis and Fernando.
“I couldn't work with both, so at least I've got one of them.”
Newey also offered a strong defence of Lance Stroll, often scrutinised by media and fans, but whom he sees as unjustly underestimated.
“Lance, I think, has an unfairly bad driver rap. When you compare him against team-mates he's been up against, Checo [Perez] and Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastian [Vettel], and now Fernando, then he's been right there.
“Any driver who gets to Formula 1 is clearly very good, but I think Lance is much better than people give him credit for.”
Eyes on the Future
As Aston Martin continues to bolster its technical team and infrastructure in preparation for 2026, Newey’s presence is undeniably a statement of intent on the part of team owner Lawrence Stroll.
Yet the message from the legendary engineer is one of grounded ambition: don't chase headlines – build the fastest car.
That, in his view, is the only way to attract a champion like Verstappen – and the only way to truly transform Aston Martin into a title-winning force.
Read also: Aston Martin explains Newey’s trackside role in Monaco
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