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Aston Martin caught the world of Formula 1 off guard when they announced that they would be starting the 2026 season with Adrian Newey as their team principal.
Adrian Newey started designing Formula 1 cars in 1988 and has gone on to be one of the most successful individuals in the sport’s history.
After successful spells at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, Newey became a part-owner and the technical chief of Aston Martin at the start of the year.
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Newey has been fully focused on Aston Martin’s 2026 car, but has now taken on additional responsibilities ahead of what could be claimed as the team’s most important campaign.
Andy Cowell has been moved onto the power unit side of the business, and Lawrence Stroll has ruled out a move for Christian Horner to take on his responsibilities.
Guenther Steiner has now been discussing the decision to move Newey into a team principal role.
The most successful example of a person of Newey’s calibre becoming a team principal is Ross Brawn, but Steiner has now explained why Aston Martin shouldn’t expect the same success as Brawn GP back in 2009.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin F1 team principal Adrian Newey
Guenther Steiner rules out Adrian Newey becoming the new Ross Brawn at Aston Martin
Steiner was speaking on The Red Flags Podcast about Newey’s new role, and he explained: “Aston Martin is a very complex setup, I would say, and he just didn’t want to have the debates.
“He said, ‘If I’m team principal, I don’t have to debate with anybody what I want to do with my departments. I will just implement it because I have got my say,’ for sure it wasn’t easy with Andy Cowell there.
“I think he had a different idea of how to set up a technical structure than Adrian.
“I want to have success my way. I want to show that I can do this.”
Steiner was then asked whether this would be similar to when Ross Brawn became a team principal, and he countered: “Yeah. But it was also different. The teams were a lot smaller, and they had one advantage that year.
“They invented the double diffuser, whatever happened there, and they nailed that one.
“In theory, you could compare it, but I think times have changed. It’s much more demanding now than it was at the time. A lot more races.”
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Fernando Alonso says Adrian Newey is ‘extremely motivating’ for Aston Martin
Twenty years after winning his first drivers’ championship, Fernando Alonso is hoping that Newey can find a way to make him a three-time world champion.
It’s a monumental task, but if anyone in the paddock can do it, then it’s Newey.
Alonso spoke about the designer on Aston Martin’s official website ahead of the final race of 2025, and he said: “It’s extremely motivating for the whole team. Knowing that Adrian is shaping the 2026 project from the ground up gives everyone belief.
“He’s already introduced new ideas, new approaches, and a way of thinking that pushes us to be more ambitious.
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“Even before becoming team principal, Adrian has already had a big impact. He’s been working closely with the engineers on the 2026 car, and he’s influenced not only the technical direction but also the way we’re developing as a team.
“Throughout 2025, he began guiding broader areas. He has an instinctive sense for performance: where to push, where to refine, and where we shouldn’t lose time.”
Brawn GP was a fairytale story in F1, and replicating their success in the cost cap era is virtually impossible.
After their one-year stint on the grid, Brawn had an important spell in charge of Mercedes before Toto Wolff’s takeover.
Newey won’t take on the same responsibilities at Aston Martin, but will be aiming to replicate his success.
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