Latest news with #Silverstone-based
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Christian Horner hijacks live Sky Sports F1 interview to insult new rival
Adrian Newey quit his role as Red Bull's chief technical offer last year before joining Aston Martin, and he's made his first appearance in green ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix Red Bull boss Christian Horner joked that former colleague Adrian Newey looked like a 'giant bogey' during his first outing in Aston Martin colours. Newey, 66, began his new role as Aston Martin's managing technical partner earlier this year and was present at a race weekend for the first time in Monaco. The legendary engineer is tasked with turning the Silverstone-based team into one capable of winning titles. Newey's prestigious career has seen him design 12 championship-winning cars across his time at Williams, McLaren and more recently Red Bull. After spending 19 years spent working alongside Horner, he decided to leave his role as Red Bull's chief technical offer in May 2024. Aston Martin acquired his services, with billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll convincing him to come on board not only as an engineer but also as a shareholder. Newey has been working behind the scenes on their 2026 car ahead of a change of regulations in the new year, but after a dismal start to this season, he travelled to Monte Carlo to observe the team's practices ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday. His former boss, Horner, spoke to Sky Sports and the Red Bull team principal was asked about if he'd spoken to Newey in the paddock. "It's great to see, I haven't seen him in green yet, he looks like a giant bogey," Horner joked over footage of Newey in his green polo shirt. "It's great to see, he's a racer. "I don't think he's missed ever a race at this track, even going back to his gardening leave at McLaren but we'll catch up with him later, it's good to see him here." Newey sat down for a number of interviews in Monaco and confirmed Horner's worst fears: Aston Martin are hoping to sign world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull. "Max is clearly a phenomenal talent," he acknowledged. Will Adrian Newey help turn Aston Martin into a title-winning team? Give us your prediction in the comments section. "And he's a supreme competitor. And part of that means that... Max likes to break things down to a simple equation, if you like, and that is, in his particular case, choosing the team that he believes can deliver the fastest car. "So if we're ever to attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. There's no point really pipe-dreaming about anything beyond that." But Aston Martin have a long way to go after Newey admitted: "It's fair to say that some of our tools are weak. Particularly our driver-in-loop simulator. "Ours needs a lot of work because it's not correlating at all at the moment. It is a fundamental research tool so not having that is a limitation. But obviously we've got to work around it in the meantime, and then sort out a plan to get it where it needs to be. But that's probably a two-year project."
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Adrian Newey caught speaking his mind about Lance Stroll in Monaco GP appearance
Aston Martin hope Adrian Newey can design title winning cars for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the coming years and the Brit insists the latter is better than many give him credit for Adrian Newey insists Lance Stroll gets "an unfairly bad rap" from his critics. The new Aston Martin car design chief leapt to the defence of the Canadian racer as he faced reporters at the first Formula 1 race weekend he has attended in person with his new team. Newey started work at Aston Martin in March, having joined from Red Bull in a high-profile switch last year. The 66-year-old has designed more than a dozen title-winning F1 cars and the Silverstone-based squad hope he can sprinkle some of that magic on them in the future. But for now he is still settling in. And his presence on the ground at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend is a purely observational mission for Newey, giving him the chance to see how the team works trackside and getting used to his new surroundings. While in the principality, he has also spoken to the media and used the opportunity to speak highly of 26-year-old racer Stroll, who is the son of the team's billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll. "Lance, I think, has an unfairly bad rap," said Newey. "When you compare him against team-mates he's been up against – Checo [Sergio Perez], Nico Hulkenberg, Sebastian [Vettel] and now Fernando [Alonso] – then he's been right there. "Any driver who gets to Formula 1 is clearly very good, but I think Lance is much better than people give him credit for." Newey went on to make it clear he is also a huge fan of two-time F1 champion Alonso, who he is delighted to be working with having previously voiced his regret that they had never been allies on the grid. Newey added: "Fernando, he's such a cool character. He's been an enemy for many years, along with Lewis [Hamilton]. I think I've said before that you can only work with so many drivers. "But two drivers I always wanted – the brothers from the modern era that I felt I would enjoy working with – were Lewis and Fernando, and I couldn't work with both, so at least I've got one of them." Newey was referring to the choice that he was faced with after announcing that he was going to leave Red Bull. Retirement was a possibility but he quickly came to the conclusion that he had another project in him and there was no shortage of suitors interested in luring the celebrated designer. But the two front-runners were Aston Martin and Ferrari. Clearly, the former won that duel, despite a personal plea from Hamilton who publicly declared how much he wanted Newey to make the move with him to Italy.
The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Herald Scotland
Aston Martin signing Max Verstappen is a pipe dream for now
The 66-year-old started work as managing technical partner at the Silverstone-based team in March and has been clear that his aim is to help Aston Martin become a championship-winning team. Newey is in the paddock in Monaco this weekend for the first time since joining Aston Martin and said drivers of four-time champion Verstappen's calibre would not consider joining the team until the car is capable of winning. Max Verstappen is bidding for a fifth successive world championship this season (David Davies/PA) 'Max is clearly a phenomenal talent and he's a supreme competitor,' Newey told selected media including the PA news agency. 'Part of that means that Max likes to break things down to a simple equation if you like and that is, in this particular case, choosing a team that he believes will deliver the fastest car. 'So if we're to ever attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. 'There's no point in pipe-dreaming about anything else for now.' Asked how long that process will take, Newey added: 'I've got absolutely no idea.' Newey accepts Aston Martin need to build a winning car in order to attract drivers like Max Verstappen (David Davies/PA) Discussion over Verstappen's future was rife amid Red Bull's early-season struggles with their car and motorsport director Helmut Marko said after Bahrain in April the 'concern is great' that the Dutchman might leave before his contract expires in 2028. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43, and Lance Stroll – son of Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll – are the team's current driver line-up. 'Lance I think has an unfairly bad rap,' Newey added. 'Any driver who gets to Formula One is clearly very good but I think Lance is much better than people give him credit for. 'Fernando is such a good character. He's been an enemy for many years, along with Lewis (Hamilton). Newey says he has always wanted to work with Alonso (David Davies/PA) 'Two drivers I've always, from the modern era, felt I would enjoy working with were Lewis and Fernando and I couldn't work with both so at least I got one of them.' Newey, who has won world championships at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, has been focused on the 2026 car and the sport's new regulations. 'It's been pretty much full on since I started in March,' he added. 'My wife says I go into a design trance and I can understand what she means, that when I get into this sort of period of intense concentration I tend to not see left and right. 'All my processing power is going into one area which is trying to work with everyone to design a fast racing car.' Looking good in green, Adrian. 💚 Adrian Newey arriving at the #MonacoGP for his first race weekend trackside with Aston Martin Aramco. — Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 22, 2025 Aston Martin are seventh in the constructors' standings, trailing the likes of Williams and Haas, underlining the task ahead of Newey in making them title contenders. But he says he has seen potential in his new team. 'There's a lot of individually very good people. We just need to try to get them working together perhaps in a slightly better organised way,' Newey said. 'I think that's simply a result of the roots of the team being Jordan that became Force India, that became Racing Point. 'As such it was always a small but slightly overperforming team, to now in a very short space of time a very big team that in truth has been underperforming this year.'
Leader Live
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Leader Live
Aston Martin signing Max Verstappen is a pipe dream for now
Newey, widely considered the greatest technical mastermind of his generation, committed his long-term future to Aston Martin in September 2024 after his departure from Red Bull sparked a bidding war for his services – with Ferrari among those interested. The 66-year-old started work as managing technical partner at the Silverstone-based team in March and has been clear that his aim is to help Aston Martin become a championship-winning team. Newey is in the paddock in Monaco this weekend for the first time since joining Aston Martin and said drivers of four-time champion Verstappen's calibre would not consider joining the team until the car is capable of winning. 'Max is clearly a phenomenal talent and he's a supreme competitor,' Newey told selected media including the PA news agency. 'Part of that means that Max likes to break things down to a simple equation if you like and that is, in this particular case, choosing a team that he believes will deliver the fastest car. 'So if we're to ever attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. 'There's no point in pipe-dreaming about anything else for now.' Asked how long that process will take, Newey added: 'I've got absolutely no idea.' Discussion over Verstappen's future was rife amid Red Bull's early-season struggles with their car and motorsport director Helmut Marko said after Bahrain in April the 'concern is great' that the Dutchman might leave before his contract expires in 2028. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43, and Lance Stroll – son of Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll – are the team's current driver line-up. 'Lance I think has an unfairly bad rap,' Newey added. 'Any driver who gets to Formula One is clearly very good but I think Lance is much better than people give him credit for. 'Fernando is such a good character. He's been an enemy for many years, along with Lewis (Hamilton). 'Two drivers I've always, from the modern era, felt I would enjoy working with were Lewis and Fernando and I couldn't work with both so at least I got one of them.' Newey, who has won world championships at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, has been focused on the 2026 car and the sport's new regulations. 'It's been pretty much full on since I started in March,' he added. 'My wife says I go into a design trance and I can understand what she means, that when I get into this sort of period of intense concentration I tend to not see left and right. 'All my processing power is going into one area which is trying to work with everyone to design a fast racing car.' Looking good in green, Adrian. 💚 Adrian Newey arriving at the #MonacoGP for his first race weekend trackside with Aston Martin Aramco. — Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 22, 2025 Aston Martin are seventh in the constructors' standings, trailing the likes of Williams and Haas, underlining the task ahead of Newey in making them title contenders. But he says he has seen potential in his new team. 'There's a lot of individually very good people. We just need to try to get them working together perhaps in a slightly better organised way,' Newey said. 'I think that's simply a result of the roots of the team being Jordan that became Force India, that became Racing Point. 'As such it was always a small but slightly overperforming team, to now in a very short space of time a very big team that in truth has been underperforming this year.'
Glasgow Times
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Glasgow Times
Aston Martin signing Max Verstappen is a pipe dream for now
Newey, widely considered the greatest technical mastermind of his generation, committed his long-term future to Aston Martin in September 2024 after his departure from Red Bull sparked a bidding war for his services – with Ferrari among those interested. The 66-year-old started work as managing technical partner at the Silverstone-based team in March and has been clear that his aim is to help Aston Martin become a championship-winning team. Newey is in the paddock in Monaco this weekend for the first time since joining Aston Martin and said drivers of four-time champion Verstappen's calibre would not consider joining the team until the car is capable of winning. Max Verstappen is bidding for a fifth successive world championship this season (David Davies/PA) 'Max is clearly a phenomenal talent and he's a supreme competitor,' Newey told selected media including the PA news agency. 'Part of that means that Max likes to break things down to a simple equation if you like and that is, in this particular case, choosing a team that he believes will deliver the fastest car. 'So if we're to ever attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. 'There's no point in pipe-dreaming about anything else for now.' Asked how long that process will take, Newey added: 'I've got absolutely no idea.' Newey accepts Aston Martin need to build a winning car in order to attract drivers like Max Verstappen (David Davies/PA) Discussion over Verstappen's future was rife amid Red Bull's early-season struggles with their car and motorsport director Helmut Marko said after Bahrain in April the 'concern is great' that the Dutchman might leave before his contract expires in 2028. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43, and Lance Stroll – son of Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll – are the team's current driver line-up. 'Lance I think has an unfairly bad rap,' Newey added. 'Any driver who gets to Formula One is clearly very good but I think Lance is much better than people give him credit for. 'Fernando is such a good character. He's been an enemy for many years, along with Lewis (Hamilton). Newey says he has always wanted to work with Alonso (David Davies/PA) 'Two drivers I've always, from the modern era, felt I would enjoy working with were Lewis and Fernando and I couldn't work with both so at least I got one of them.' Newey, who has won world championships at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, has been focused on the 2026 car and the sport's new regulations. 'It's been pretty much full on since I started in March,' he added. 'My wife says I go into a design trance and I can understand what she means, that when I get into this sort of period of intense concentration I tend to not see left and right. 'All my processing power is going into one area which is trying to work with everyone to design a fast racing car.' Looking good in green, Adrian. 💚 Adrian Newey arriving at the #MonacoGP for his first race weekend trackside with Aston Martin Aramco. — Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 22, 2025 Aston Martin are seventh in the constructors' standings, trailing the likes of Williams and Haas, underlining the task ahead of Newey in making them title contenders. But he says he has seen potential in his new team. 'There's a lot of individually very good people. We just need to try to get them working together perhaps in a slightly better organised way,' Newey said. 'I think that's simply a result of the roots of the team being Jordan that became Force India, that became Racing Point. 'As such it was always a small but slightly overperforming team, to now in a very short space of time a very big team that in truth has been underperforming this year.'
