Adrian Newey criticized Aston Martin. “The simulator isn’t up to standard, it will take two years to fix,” he said alongside his recent statements. According to him, despite the modern Silverstone headquarters, there is a problem between real data and simulation.
Andy Cowell, team principal and CEO of Aston Martin, responded on the James Allen on F1 podcast. “Adrian is provoking us, but it won’t take two years. We’ll show him we can do it in a few months,” he said. “Every part of our work can improve. Adrian and I have very high standards, but we want to reach them as soon as possible.”
Andy Cowell emphasized the positive reaction from the team. “Everyone at the factory responded by saying, ‘Now we’ll prove him wrong.’ The real strength lies in how fast you reach those standards,” he said. “Stroll, Alonso, and myself are pushing the team to give their best.” The goal: to speed up development.
Andy Cowell worked with Newey back in 2004 at McLaren. “Now we openly discuss, each with our own expertise. Adrian focuses solely on the car’s design and architecture. He’s not involved in management. He’s here to grow the project with his technical vision,” Andy Cowell explained.
Looking ahead to 2026, Andy Cowell also spoke about the integration with Honda. “Five years ago I was in the engine world, now I let them handle it. But I can help translate needs and language between the team and Honda. Everything has to speak the same language: lap time,” he said. “It’s our common currency.”
Cowell aims to act as a bridge between engineers and technicians. “I can ease the pressure. I understand what the team needs and what Honda faces. I communicate on both sides. Ultimately, the only goal is to improve performance. And milliseconds make the difference,” he concluded. Adrian Newey’s challenge has already been accepted.
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