Aston Martin reaping unexpected benefit from Newey’s arrival

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Aston Martin team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa has hailed Adrian Newey’s arrival as a game-changing moment for the Silverstone-based outfit, claiming the legendary engineer has sparked a “total change” in the team's atmosphere, structure, and appeal to fresh talent.

Newey, one of Formula 1’s most revered technical minds, officially joined Aston Martin in March of this year after spending nearly two decades at Red Bull.

Though he only made his first public appearance with the team during the Monaco Grand Prix, his influence behind the scenes is already reshaping the team’s trajectory, with eyes firmly set on the upcoming 2026 regulation reset.

Newey’s Influence Reaches Far Beyond Design

Speaking to Spain’s SoyMotor, de la Rosa described Newey’s arrival at Aston as profoundly transformative, but the Spaniard also highlighted one unexpected consequence from the designer’s presence.

“The change is tremendous,” said the former F1 driver. “Since the announcement that Newey was coming to us, there has been a total change.

“More people want to come and work at Aston Martin, from all the teams and especially from the universities.

“It’s something no one realised could happen, but it is happening because young engineers want to work with the big names to learn more quickly.”

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De la Rosa pointed out that the UK’s dense engineering talent pool, particularly within the so-called “Motorsport Valley,” makes Newey’s presence even more valuable in attracting skilled individuals.

“In England there is a spectacular market for engineers, because within a radius of 100 kilometres there are practically all the teams in the world,” he explained.

“Attracting talent is very important and having Adrian has an effect of attraction, of inspiration to the new generations, to all those engineers who want to be Formula 1 engineers and who want to work with Newey to learn from him.”

Aston Martin’s Growing Workforce and Future Stars

Beyond Newey’s immediate technical input, de la Rosa believes his presence will help shape a new generation of top-level engineers – future stars who will benefit from working alongside the veteran designer.

“That’s something that sometimes you don’t value,” he admitted. “We always look at Adrian Newey as the figure who makes winning cars, but for us it’s very important the new generation of Neweys who want to work with him, because they will be the future of Aston Martin.

“Sometimes we focus on the big names, but teams win for everything, for the big names but also for unsung heroes who will one day fill that role.”

De la Rosa also highlighted the sheer growth the team has experienced in recent years – something Newey’s arrival is only accelerating.

“The most beautiful thing about Aston Martin is to see the internal transformation that is happening, the growth. We were about 600 people when I joined and now we are more than 900 people.”

As Aston Martin looks ahead to 2026, Newey’s presence is not just an asset on the drawing board – it’s quickly becoming a magnet for the next generation of Formula 1 innovators.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.