When Adrian Newey walks through the paddock, he attracts the attention usually reserved for top drivers. His return to the track sparked huge interest; after eighteen years in Red Bull blue, he appeared in Monte Carlo wearing Aston Martin green.
Even though his unmistakable stride remains the same, it will take some getting used to. In a media session, Newey spoke about drivers—always a hot topic at Aston Martin in recent months, especially after reports of a massive offer allegedly made by team owner Lawrence Stroll to Verstappen.
Newey hit the brakes, sending a clear message: to even try attracting Max, the priority is to put a winning car on the track. But first, he spoke about Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso—who will drive his first ‘green’ car.
“First of all, I want to say that Lance deserves more credit. Since entering Formula 1, he’s gone up against very high-profile teammates like Fernando, Sebastian, Perez, and Hulkenberg. I’m convinced Lance is much better than people say.”
Then Newey spoke about Alonso, who for many seasons was the main rival faced on track by his cars…
“Fernando is a really strong character. Along with Lewis Hamilton, he’s been a top contender for many years. I’ve always kept in mind that over a career, a designer only gets to work with a limited number of drivers, and the two modern-era drivers I’ve always wanted to work with are Lewis and Fernando.”
“I won’t get the chance to work with both, but at least I’ve managed to with one of them. Our collaboration has just begun—we’ve had some chats at the factory, but I think the real relationship only starts once you’re at the track. So I can’t wait to begin building the foundations this season and be ready for the next one.”
In the background, the Max Verstappen question is always present—Newey is aware of it but has very clear ideas. The ‘genius’ is in no rush; he knows what it takes to catch the eye of a true champion.
“Max is clearly a phenomenal talent, and all drivers of his level like to keep things as simple as possible. As you’d expect, a champion always looks for the best car, so if we want to be able to attract Max, we know we’ll need to build a winning car. But right now, there’s no point in dreaming—we have no idea yet how long it will take before we’re capable of winning races.”
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