How Adrian Newey is Boldly Provoking Aston Martin’s Next Move

Adrian Newey has drawn attention at Aston Martin with his recent remarks about the team’s progress in Formula 1. Newey, now managing technical partner at Aston Martin, suggested that it could take at least two years for the team to fix a key issue with their simulator technology.

He believes the lack of data matching between their state-of-the-art simulator and actual track results is holding the team back. This estimate triggered a strong response from Andy Cowell, Aston Martin’s CEO and team principal, who said the entire organization is using Newey’s words as motivation to work quicker.

Cowell, who previously teamed up with Newey at McLaren in 2004, said his team has embraced the challenge. He explained that while Adrian sets very high standards, the competition inside Aston Martin is pushing everyone to shorten the timeline.

Many in the factory believe they can solve the issues in months instead of years. Cowell highlighted how figures like Lawrence Stroll, Fernando Alonso, and Lance Stroll are also ramping up the urgency and expectations within the team.

The technical problem stems from the “loop simulator,” an advanced machine at Aston Martin’s Silverstone headquarters. Newey identified this as an area needing major improvement, but Cowell insists that every part of the car and development process is being reviewed for efficiency.

He confirmed on a recent podcast that staff across departments are determined to deliver results faster than predicted.

Cowell’s role at Aston Martin goes beyond leadership. He spent years leading Mercedes’ successful High Performance Powertrains division, which gives him valuable experience as Aston Martin switches to Honda engines for the 2026 season.

He said that while developing the power unit will be Honda’s primary job, his understanding of hybrid engines allows him to help both sides communicate effectively. According to Cowell, having an open dialogue between Honda engineers and Aston Martin’s design team is key to making progress as quickly as possible.

Both Cowell and Newey have been open about their strengths and weaknesses. Cowell appreciates that he and Newey can discuss technical details directly, allowing them to focus on what really impacts the race car.

He also said the most important measure for everyone involved is lap time, which is the currency for performance in Formula 1. Cowell sees his responsibility as making sure everyone understands what needs to be done in clear terms, connecting the design, vehicle dynamics, and power unit teams where needed.

Team members have echoed Cowell’s belief that they are determined to speed up development and silence doubts about how long improvements will take. The consensus is that Newey’s bold statements are not discouraging—they are “provoking” some of the best work the Aston Martin staff can deliver.

With the introduction of Honda engines ahead and a renewed sense of focus, the team is aiming to show noticeable progress on the track well before the two-year mark that Newey mentioned.

Aston Martin’s journey is being closely followed throughout the Formula 1 world. With top talent like Adrian Newey and Andy Cowell on board, the team is set on proving they can become a consistent race-winning force sooner than many expect.

Cowell, who previously teamed up with Newey at McLaren in 2004, said his team has embraced the challenge.