Ted Kravitz pinpoints the ‘only problem’ for Adrian Newey at Aston Martin

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Adrian Newey has been officially unveiled as Aston Martin’s managing technical partner. Team owner Lawrence Stroll held a press conference on Tuesday to confirm the signing.

Stroll will see this as the final move needed to turn Aston into a championship-winning team. Earlier this year, he agreed a new deal with two-time title-winner Fernando Alonso.

While Newey will join in March next year, he’s not expected to have a significant impact until the new set of regulations of 2026. Aston could face another year in the midfield before an anticipated step forward.

As it stands, they will be the only team to run Honda engines as the Japanese manufacturer split with Red Bull. Former Mercedes engine guru Andy Cowell is set to head up that partnership.

On the aerodynamic side, Newey will reunite with ex-Red Bull man Dan Fallows. And he’ll also work alongside Enrico Cardile, Ferrari’s old technical director.

Aston are hoping to become the first team outside F1’s current ‘big four’ to win a title since Brawn GP in 2009. Red Bull and Mercedes have formed a duopoly over the past 15 years.

Ted Kravitz says 2026 rules could be an issue for Adrian Newey at Aston Martin

Speaking to Sky Sports News at the Aston Martin facility on Tuesday, Ted Kravitz aired his one concern about Newey’s move. The upcoming rule changes may work against him.

Kravitz expects power units to be the ‘dominant factor’ in determining performance from 2026. A larger battery will now account for 50% of the car’s overall power output.

Active aerodynamics should help to reduce a loss in straight-line speed. The front and rear wings will open up on the straights to cut drag.

When F1 was last an ‘engine formula’ from 2014 to 2021, Newey’s Red Bull team struggled to challenge the mighty Mercedes. In fact, across the first seven years of that ruleset, they only won 17 races – five fewer than they managed in 2023 alone.

Kravitz said: “The only problem is that for 2026, which will be Newey’s first car, there’s this huge regulation change coming in which is pretty much dominated by the power units. It changes the power units completely and the car is having to adapt to the new requirements of the power units.”

Why Lawrence Stroll’s Adrian Newey comments may upset Fernando Alonso

Alonso will be delighted by the arrival of Newey. It significantly boosts his prospects of winning a third title before he retires.

David Coulthard even predicted Alonso could win the title in 2025, though that was likely a tongue-in-cheek remark. The competitive order is likely to remain broadly the same in the short term.

Still, the 32-time race-winner may be a little offended by Stroll’s comments on Tuesday. He called Newey Aston Martin’s ‘most exciting’ signing ever, just two years after they struck a deal to acquire the Spaniard.

But that simply reflects Newey’s status within the sport. Regarded by many as the greatest designer in F1 history, he’s been involved in 25 championships during his career.