Adrian Newey is one of the most important engineers in the history of Formula 1. During his career he has collaborated with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, achieving a total of 12 constructors’ championships and 13 drivers’ championships. The decision to join Aston Martin is based precisely on the British team’s ambition to become champions in the years to come.
Newey will be in charge of providing leadership for the car of the 2026 season, which will be accompanied by new regulations in Formula 1. The renewed regulatory changes are a suitable opportunity for Aston Martin, under Newey’s technical direction, to make itself noticed and become competitive.
Details of Adrian Newey’s contract
Adrian Newey’s contract with Aston Martin is that of a star. In this sense, the BBC has reported that Newey has an annual salary of 30 million pounds (35 million euros), including bonuses and supplementary payments. For many, the extension of the agreement, agreed for five years, would mean 150 million pounds over the course of his contract.
Going far beyond the simple salary, Newey will become a partner in Aston Martin, reinforcing his commitment and his long-term link to the project. In acting in this way, Aston Martin Motorsport is not only trying to acquire the talent of the engineer, but also to align him over time with the team’s objectives and the team’s financial success over time.
If Newey’s salary is to be put into perspective, it should be pointed out that it is higher than that of most drivers on the current Formula 1 grid. Only Max Verstappen himself, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have contracts that exceed the figures that the British engineer will receive, which highlights the importance and the degree of value that Aston Martin is trying to place on Newey’s entry into its technical team.
Expected impact on Aston Martin’s performance
At Aston Martin they see the arrival of Adrian Newey as the main pillar to boost the team’s performance. Throughout his career he has demonstrated his experience in interpreting and adapting to new technical regulations; one only has to look at the work he did for the change of era in 2022 or how Newey designed that champion Red Bull; even in those years when everything seems more difficult, he knows how to set the tone in a more than evident way.
The combination of Newey and Fernando Alonso generates high expectations; Alonso, two-time world champion, is excited to be teaming up with Newey and, in turn, believes that the arrival of the engineer may be one of the keys to fighting for a third world title. This alliance between an expert driver and a prestigious engineer may be the solution Aston Martin needed to reach the top of the competition.
To a large extent, the other spearhead of Aston Martin, the new wind tunnel and the reconstruction of its Silverstone facilities, accompanies the arrival of Newey. These improvements will translate into the tools that give the engineer a car with which to compete with the new 2026 regulations.
Adrian Newey’s incorporation into Aston Martin is a clear demonstration of the team’s intentions to become a leading force in Formula 1, given the high cost and the terms of his contract, which shows the faith Aston Martin has placed in Newey’s ability to improve its performance and try to win world titles, perhaps in the short term.