Former Honda engineer fears Aston Martin ‘collapse’ if Adrian Newey continues to run the F1 team

Follow us on Google Discover

Former Honda engineer Yasuaki Asaki has slammed Adrian Newey’s management of the Aston Martin F1 outfit, sharing his concerns over a possible ‘collapse’ for the British constructor if the aerodynamicist remains at the helm.

Adrian Newey’s appointment to the role of team principal at Aston Martin raised some concerns upon its confirmation last year, with a multitude of F1 paddock figures expressing their worry regarding the aerodynamicist running the team on a day-to-day basis.

Has Lawrence Stroll made too many changes at Aston Martin?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Still, high expectations were rife for the AMR26, given that it is the first Aston Martin F1 car with Newey’s DNA intertwined in it.

Upon the arrival of the new season, those expectations were quickly lowered due to the swathe of issues that have emerged from the British constructor.

Newey was accused of making Honda the ‘scapegoat’ for Aston Martin’s challenging start to F1’s new era of technical regulations, which was reinforced by the British designer’s scathing critique of the Japanese manufacturer’s efforts in Melbourne.

• READ MORE: Honda have been ‘bailed out’ by F1 rivals but Aston Martin will be paying the price for years

Ex-Honda engineer fears Aston Martin ‘collapse’ with Adrian Newey at the helm

During an interview with Web Sportiva, former Honda engineer turned F1 commentator, Yasuaki Asaki, pinpointed Newey’s ‘genius’ as the leading factor in Aston Martin’s disastrous start to the 2026 campaign.

Some F1 paddock insiders are under the impression that Newey is currently refusing to allow upgrades on the AMR26 due to his perfectionist nature. The 67-year-old reportedly wants to ensure that any gains are ‘substantial’, rather than simply being ‘incremental’.

As such, Asaki fears Newey is not the man to be at the helm of the F1 team, while still hailing his prowess in the aerodynamic department.

What are your current sentiments towards Aston Martin turning around their 2026 F1 season?

Let us know in the comments below!

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

“To be perfectly honest, I believe that when a genius like Adrian Newey joins an organisation that doesn’t know how to manage people of exceptional talent, the organisation falls apart,” Asaki asserted.

“To make effective use of an eccentric genius, strong teamwork is absolutely essential. If a genius joins an organisation that isn’t properly established, and not only develops the machine but also runs the team as they please, the organisation will collapse.”

“I feel that bringing out only the best in a genius is, in fact, an exceptionally difficult task. I believe the new Aston Martin car designed by Adrian Newey is a groundbreaking design.

“On the other hand, I imagine its unique layout may have caused significant damage to the power unit and battery. That is why Aston Martin Honda have been plagued by abnormal vibrations right from the pre-season tests.”

• READ MORE: Aston Martin staff worried they’ll be ‘sacked’ if they say what they really think about the team

Lawrence Stroll went against the advice of colleagues to appoint Adrian Newey as team principal

Aston Martin have seemingly been in turmoil since the breadth of their woes emerged at the beginning of the season, with a multitude of details about Newey’s appointment recently coming to light.

A recent report has suggested team owner Lawrence Stroll didn’t listen to Adrian Newey’s old colleagues before appointing him as team principal, with the majority of them highlighting how the 67-year-old needs a strong support network to thrive.

The relationship between Stroll and Newey has now reached a ‘low point’, with the Canadian billionaire reportedly growing increasingly frustrated with his F1 team’s lack of results.

Stroll has invested an endless amount of resources in the Silverstone-based F1 outfit since taking the reins in 2018, but he has yet to reap the rewards of his expenditure. This year was meant to be Aston Martin’s year, but it has turned out to be quite the opposite.