Lawrence Stroll (65) wants to be at the top of Formula 1. The Scrooge McDuck of Formula 1 wants that at any price. The fashion billionaire from Canada and owner of Aston Martin has dreamed for years of bringing his son Lance to the top of the premier class in his own team.
Now he has taken a decisive step: Stroll has managed to sign the ultimate Formula 1 superstar, the Gyro Gearloose of the top automotive league, for his team. Adrian Newey (65) will start working for the Silverstone team on March 1, 2025. The boss announced this in person today at the team headquarters in the brand new mega-factory.
“Adrian is the best in the world at what he does – he is at the peak of his powers – and I am incredibly proud that he is joining the Aston Martin team,” said Stroll Senior. “It is the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and further proof of our ambition to build a Formula 1 team that can challenge for world championships.”
Adrian Newey: world champion maker
Adrian Newey. The name stands for no fewer than 12 drivers’ and 13 constructors’ championships. After the separation from Red Bull, Ferrari also wanted to sign the design genius who once made Mika Häkkinen or Sebastian Vettel and most recently Max Verstappen champions with his magical designs. But the Italians could not or did not want to offer Newey what Lance Stroll has in store for the Briton: Newey will not just be chief technology officer, but “shareholder and technical partner”.
Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin is final.
Image: Aston Martin
What allows Newey the autonomy he loves when working is also a clever way to deduct at least part of his reported annual salary of up to 30 million euros from the budget cap.
But more importantly: Newey will be on board when work on the cars can begin in accordance with the new regulations from 2026. Exploring the grey areas of new regulations is Newey’s specialty. The star designer’s skills alone are a guarantee that the team with double world champion Fernando Alonso at the wheel will take a huge step forward by 2026 at the latest.
Honda and Aramco as the key to success
The rest will depend on the drive (50 percent electric, 50 percent 1.6-liter V6 turbo) and the sustainable gasoline that will be used in Formula 1 in the future. With Aramco, Aston Martin already has a capable partner on board who is very familiar with the development of synthetic fuel. The only uncertainty factor remains engine manufacturer Honda, with whom the team will join forces from 2026. The manpower – that much is certain – will be able to stand up to Mercedes, Red Bull and Co. Andy Cowell, who was responsible for the very successful hybrid engine at Mercedes, will join as CEO in October. Ferrari’s chassis boss Enrico Cardile will arrive in 2025. Ex-Red Bull aerodynamics guru Dan Fallows has been on board since 2022.
So the conditions are right – also for Newey. “I am very inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he does,” enthuses the newcomer. “Lawrence is determined to build a world-leading team. He is the only majority owner of the team who is actively involved in the sport. His commitment is evident in the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state-of-the-art, but also have a layout that creates a great working environment. Together with great partners such as Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team and I am very much looking forward to helping achieve that goal.”
It would be the fourth team to make Newey Formula 1 World Champion after Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
