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Aston Martin are interested in signing former Red Bull designer Craig Skinner, according to a report. A reunion with team principal Adrian Newey could be on the cards.
Much has been made about the issues with Honda’s engine after pre-season testing, but the running in Bahrain has also exposed some flaws with Newey’s design.
Indeed, there’s a theory that Newey is ‘shackling’ Honda’s efforts to improve because the packaging on the AMR26 is so tight.
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Aston Martin’s car is also ‘riddled’ with cooling vents that other teams simply don’t need. This indicates that Newey’s aggressive approach has caused problems with overheating.
Aston Martin target Craig Skinner for Adrian Newey reunion
Perhaps it would be beneficial for Newey to have another experienced designer to offer his perspective, particularly someone he trusts.
That’s why ‘rumours’ about a move for Craig Skinner make sense. Red Bull recently announced that Skinner, who moved to Milton Keynes in 2006, had left the team with immediate effect.
Gazzetta dello Sport estimate that he will have to serve ‘at least six months’ of gardening leave. Aston Martin announced the signing of Newey in September 2024 but he didn’t start work until the following March.
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The ‘timing’ of Skinner’s departure leaves ‘no doubt’ that he is planning to join another team, and there are whispers in the UK that Aston Martin are showing ‘interest’.
Skinner was part of the Red Bull design team that delivered eight title-winning cars between 2010 and 2024, first for Sebastian Vettel and then for Max Verstappen.
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In addition to Newey, Aston Martin have already signed Enrico Cardile, Ferrari’s former technical director. Dan Fallows, another ex-Red Bull aerodynamicist, had a brief stint at the team before leaving last year.
Lawrence Stroll also brought in a power unit expert in the form of Andy Cowell, who had a spell as team principal in 2025 before losing a power struggle with Newey. Cowell is now the chief strategic officer and is working closely with Honda on their malfunctioning engine.
Reports suggest Cowell could leave Aston Martin at the end of 2026 even if Stroll convinced him to stay at first.
Based on Aston Martin’s dismal start to F1’s new era, one could accuse Stroll of pouring tens (if not hundreds) of millions into his star-studded recruitment drive without really considering how it all fits together.
From here, he needs to entrust the talent already at his disposal to find a solution without taking any further risks.
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