Adrian Newey has surprisingly been named as Aston Martin’s new team principal ahead of the 2026 F1 season

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Adrian Newey will become a team principal for the first time in his legendary career(Image: Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Everything you need to know

New leadership role: Adrian Newey will assume the Team Principal position at Aston Martin from the 2026 Formula 1 season. He will also retain his existing role as Managing Technical Partner, a position he has held since officially joining the team in March.

Maximising technical expertise: The move is intended to fully utilise Newey’s proven creative and technical genius, particularly as the team prepares for the new technical regulations in 2026. This is the first time in his illustrious career that the 66-year-old will officially hold the title of Team Principal.

New role for Cowell: Current Team Principal Andy Cowell will transition to a new role as Chief Strategy Officer following reports of a disagreement between the pair over the direction of the team. This change is said to be a mutual decision to divide responsibilities, leveraging the individual strengths of both key leaders.

Focus on power unit integration: Andy Cowell’s new Chief Strategy Officer role will focus on optimising the technical partnership between the team and its key suppliers, namely new engine partner Honda. His primary task will be to ensure the seamless integration of Aston Martin’s new Power Unit (PU), fuel and chassis for the 2026 season.

Preparation for 2026 regulations: Aston Martin’s executive chairman, Lawrence Stroll, emphasised that the changes are designed to ensure the team is well-prepared for the considerable challenge presented by the sweeping regulation changes. The team is also transitioning to a full works team status with its Honda engine partnership, making the technical leadership critical.

Strategic investment by Lawrence Stroll: This high-profile appointment is the latest in a series of major investments by team owner Lawrence Stroll, which includes a new state-of-the-art factory and recruiting other leading F1 figures. Stroll aims to make Aston Martin a genuine title contender. Newey’s signing and subsequent job switch are key steps in that ambitious vision.