Fernando Alonso has suggested that Adrian Newey is not bothered one bit about developing Aston Martin’s 2025 F1 car, with his focus fully on trying to get ahead of the new regulations in 2026.
Aston Martin have had a torrid year, sat down in eighth in the constructors’ championship with two-time world champion Alonso only able to pick up 14 points from the first 12 races.
The team added design legend Newey to their ranks in March, a man that has claimed 25 championships all told across spells with McLaren, Red Bull and Williams.
2026 is set to be a huge year for the team with ambitions of challenging for championship titles in the future, with a comprehensive set of regulation changes offering opportunity for the team, but also huge challenges.
Now, Alonso has suggested that Newey doesn’t want anything to do with the current 2025 car, and is instead working solidly on the 2026 project, as they try and get ahead of the competition.
“He’s working, he’s involved,” Fernando Alonso told Spanish broadcaster DAZN at the British Grand Prix. “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.”
Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin in March
Will Aston Martin challenge for championship in 2026?
When Newey left Red Bull to join Aston Martin, it was a huge statement from the Silverstone-based outfit.
Newey had always expressed a desire to work with either Alonso or Lewis Hamilton before their careers in the sport were up, and he now has a chance to help Alonso claim a so far elusive 33rd career victory, or even mount a challenge for a third world title.
However, at 43 years of age, the Spaniard has shown some signs of decline during 2025, currently sat behind team-mate Lance Stroll in the drivers’ championship.
Stroll’s father Lawrence Stroll – who is the team owner – has given the outfit all the tools they need to try and make a step up when the new regulations enter the sport, with a state of the art new facility in Silverstone, and the signings of Newey and Enrico Cardile from Ferrari.
Questions still remain over their driver lineup, however, with Stroll’s poor form in 2023 and 2024, alongside Alonso’s struggles this campaign, not offering much hope that either driver will be able to challenge for podiums even if given an improved machine in 2026.
