Newey immersed in ‘design trance’ as Aston bets big on 2026

Adrian Newey has opened up about the intense workload and pressure he’s under as he leads Aston Martin’s 2026 Formula 1 project — a car he only began working on in March but which is commanding his full attention and energy.

The design legend, who joined the Silverstone-based team earlier this year as Managing Technical Partner, says he’s “barely noticing anything” outside of the tunnel vision required to build a title-challenging car under drastically new regulations.

His wife, Amanda, describes the state he’s in as a “design trance” – a term Newey fully embraces.

“I had a weekend off recently, but apart from that, it's been pretty much flat-out all the way,” Newey recently told F1-Insider.

“When I enter such a phase of intense concentration, I barely notice anything to the left or right. All my computing power is channeled toward one goal: designing a fast racing car.”

Still Playing Catch-Up

When Newey joined Aston Martin, most F1 teams had already begun work on their 2026 challengers. That delay has put the iconic designer and his design team on the back foot.

“You're practically always playing catch-up,” he admits. “Until March, little had been done here for 2026. A little, of course, but we've had a huge amount of work to do since then.”

He compares the situation to his time at McLaren in 1997 – also a year before a sweeping rule change – but says today’s F1 environment is more demanding.

“The pressure was already high back then. Today it's even greater because the cars have become more complex and development times have increased,” he added.

Currently, Newey is focused on aspects of the car that can’t be changed mid-season, such as suspension layout, wheelbase, and fuel tank size. But two challenges loom large.

“On the one hand, we don't have enough time, and on the other, our simulation tools may be a bit weak. So we have to try to make the best possible assessments. If necessary, the body and wings can be adjusted during the season.”

Tight Rules, But Room to Innovate

It’s a well-known fact that F1’s upcoming next-generation technical regulations – which include new chassis dimensions and radically different power units – initially concerned Newey.

“When I first saw the rules, my initial reaction was, 'Oh dear, that doesn't leave much room for maneuver!'. But when you delve into the details, you do see a certain amount of flexibility.”

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He expects teams to launch with different philosophies, though performance will eventually converge.

“But as always in Formula 1, after three or four years, the teams will converge.”

Alonso Confirms Newey’s 2026 Focus

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin’s lead driver, confirmed Newey’s tunnel vision.

“He’s working, he’s involved,” Alonso told DAZN at Silverstone. “He’s very motivated. But it’s true that this year’s car doesn’t seem to interest him much.

“Every time we ask something about this year or how to improve something, he gets up and goes to another office. So he’s already in 2026 mode…”

This detachment from the 2025 AMR25 underscores Newey’s prioritization of the future, as Aston Martin aims to leverage his expertise to challenge for titles in 2026.

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