Adrian Newey's arrival at Aston Martin will finally grant him the opportunity to collaborate with Fernando Alonso, a dream that both the legendary F1 designer and the two-time world champion have expressed mutual excitement for.
Newey, widely regarded as one of the greatest technical minds in motorsport history, has often spoken of his desire to work with Alonso.
Their paths have remained separate throughout their time in Formula 1, but with Newey’s move to Aston Martin, the two are set to unite in a partnership that promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.
Reflecting on the years spent as rivals, Newey shared his excitement about the upcoming collaboration.
"We've battled against each other for so many years. He's been a bit of an arch-enemy at times," Newey said, speaking at Aston’s headquarters at Silverstone on Tuesday.
"We came so close to him joining Red Bull in 2008 for the 2009 season, but unfortunately it didn't quite happen, which is a shame. So we continued to battle against each other.
“He's a legend of the sport, so very much looking forward to working with him."
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Despite missing that earlier opportunity, the mutual respect between the two icons of the sport has remained strong.
Alonso, a driver known for his fierce competitiveness and unmatched racecraft, has long admired Newey’s technical genius, admitting that the Briton’s creations inevitably forced other teams to raise the bar.
“We’ve been racing against each other for many years,” commented the Spaniard.
“I would say that it was more an inspiration. Thanks to Adrian, his talent and his cars, I think we all got better. That’s as a driver, as engineers, as teams, we all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete.
"It's an incredible day for the team. Lawrence’s vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, with Honda, with Aramco, the new wind tunnel. It’s definitely the team of the future, I would say."
On a personal level, Alonso expressed how valuable it will be to work alongside such accomplished individuals as Newey, seeing it not only as a professional opportunity but also as a chance for personal growth.
"It's going to be an incredible professional opportunity to work with Adrian and to keep wearing this green colour, which I'm very proud to be part of,” added the 43-year-old F1 veteran.
“But also on a personal side, it’s an incredible opportunity to work with these people You can learn so much from them.
“I was talking with Lance a few weeks ago about the incredible opportunity we have to witness and to work with Lawrence and with everyone at Aston Martin.
“We are learning a lot of things on track and off track, and it's a part of our personal growth as well.”
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