Adrian Newey is copying one of Christian Horner’s ideas to create a ‘purge list’ at Aston Martin

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Adrian Newey has now started his new role as the team principal of Aston Martin, but the iconic F1 designer wasted no time in making his presence felt after joining in 2025.

Billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll went all-in to ensure that Aston Martin won the race to hire Newey as their managing technical partner after announcing that he was leaving Red Bull in May 2024. Stroll made Newey a 5% shareholder in Aston Martin to seal his signature.

Newey officially began his role at Aston Martin in March 2025 and immediately set his focus on their car for the 2026 F1 regulations. Yet further changes were also required, and Newey has replaced Andy Cowell as Aston Martin’s F1 team principal ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Stroll has even given Newey complete freedom to transform Aston Martin how the 67-year-old sees fit. The Canadian is determined to see the Silverstone natives fight for titles, having invested a fortune in a new factory, wind tunnel, simulator and further hires beyond Newey.

Adrian Newey has copied Christian Horner by hiring an internal mole at Aston Martin

A number of staff members have also been relieved of their duties at Aston Martin over the last few months, as Newey strives to weed out any weak links. That is according to Fanpage, which reports that Aston Martin have laid off several top-level figures and various engineers.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin F1 team principal Adrian Newey

Newey is keen to streamline Aston Martin’s operation to concentrate their resources on the areas he feels need them most. The Briton has also copied one of the tactics that his former boss at Red Bull, Christian Horner, favoured by hiring an internal ‘mole’ to review their staff.

The insider is producing detailed reviews about every aspect of Aston Martin’s setup, from their processes to team dynamics. Newey is using the reports to create a ‘purge list’, which now-former aerodynamics director Eric Baldin is the most high-profile casualty of thus far.

Lawrence Stroll has given Adrian Newey free rein to transform Aston Martin

Finish the sentence: In 2027, the Aston Martin driver line-up will be…

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Stroll recognises that Aston Martin need more than just his fortune to become a successful F1 team. So, he has given Newey complete freedom to make any changes that can take the Silverstone natives from the middle of the pack to the very top in search of their first titles.

Aston Martin have never won a single Grand Prix in the brand’s entire history in F1 to date. The British automotive giant first raced in F1 in the 1959 and 1960 campaigns, before Stroll brought the Aston Martin name back to the F1 grid in 2021 when he renamed Racing Point.

Fernando Alonso further scored eight of the nine podiums that Aston Martin have secured since 2021 during the 2023 season after joining the team that term. Lance Stroll has yet to score a podium for Aston Martin, while Sebastian Vettel took P2 in the 2021 Azerbaijan GP.

Aston Martin prioritising the 2026 regulations over developing their 2025 car also helped to ensure that the team ended last term seventh in the F1 constructors’ championship. Alonso also sealed 10th in the drivers’ standings on 56 points and Stroll ranked 16th with 33 points.