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Adrian Newey’s time at Aston Martin in 2026 has been a disaster, and Damon Hill fears that it could get worse.
The legendary engineer was appointed as team principal of Aston Martin for the 2026 season. He was also tasked with designing and building the AMR26 alongside Honda, but that proved to be too much responsibility.
After three races of the season, Fernando Alonso has recorded the team’s only finish thus far, making it to the line in 18th at Suzuka. Severe vibration issues and Honda’s underpowered engine have left the team firmly at the back of the field.
Can Aston Martin’s relationship with Honda survive long-term?
The team’s situation has shown little sign of improvement. Alonso proved Honda were wrong about their vibration issue, as the Spaniard once again took his hand off the steering wheel in Japan.
Newey has stepped back as team principal to focus on developing the car. He will be desperate to fix Aston Martin’s problems, but Hill fears that he could lead the team into ‘catastrophe’.
Damon Hill warns of Aston Martin ‘catastrophe’ with Adrian Newey
Speaking on The Race’s The Undercut podcast, the former F1 driver warns that Newey could cause Aston Martin more problems, and that the staff may not buy into his vision for the team when he first joined from Red Bull.
“Is there a point at which Adrian will bring about catastrophe?” said Hill. “Because he’s pushing it to an extent, his competitiveness will get the better of him.
“I think Adrian is someone who will have a vision of perfection, his idea of perfection, and will want to bring everyone on board with it.
“And a bit like Moses, everyone’s going, ‘Well, where is this promised land and we’re not sure we’re going to get there and we can’t maybe see the same land of milk and honey that you do?’
“And there’ll be a point at which he has to just say, ‘Just trust me. We’ll get there.’ And then how long have you got before they go, ‘Maybe he’s lost his mind.”
READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin F1 team principal Adrian Newey
Can Jonathan Wheatley fix Aston Martin’s issues with Honda?
The relationship between Aston Martin and Honda has been thrown into disarray as the Silverstone outfit’s woes continue. Newey pinned most of the blame on the Japanese manufacturers for the power unit’s unreliability.
Honda’s ‘top officials’ blamed Aston Martin for the vibrations as they claim the problem came about when the power unit was integrated with the chassis.
Lance Stroll says they’re having “own little Aston Martin championship” 🏆
But what do you think should earn or lose them points?
The team will hope for a smooth solution to the issue, with Jonathan Wheatley set to join Aston Martin from Audi. He has the experience and knowledge to get them back on their feet, and has a great relationship with Newey from their time at Red Bull.
Martin Brundle backs Wheatley to fix Aston Martin, but the team will be without his expertise for some time, as he must complete a period of gardening leave with Audi.
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