Aston Martin: Adrian Newey explains why he accepted the Team Principal role and Andy Cowell’s responsibilities. Adrian Newey discusses his decision to become Aston Martin Team Principal.

F1 | Adrian Newey reveals why he chose to become Aston Martin Team Principal and explains Cowell’s role

Following the announcement of Adrian Newey’s appointment as the new Team Principal of Aston Martin, the former Red Bull technical director explained the reasons behind his new role. The Qatar weekend opened with news few had predicted in advance: Adrian Newey is now the Team Principal of an Aston Martin that is stepping even harder on the accelerator as it looks toward 2026. This move immediately dispels rumours linking Christian Horner with a potential deal at Lawrence Stroll’s team.

Adrian Newey explains why he made the move

But what motivated the former Red Bull technical director to accept such a position? Adrian Newey himself addressed this in the statement released by Aston Martin. “Over the past nine months, I have seen an enormous amount of individual talent within our team. I am really looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, when we will face a completely new situation, with Aston Martin becoming a full works team, combined with the significant challenge posed by the new regulations,” the Briton stated.

The role of Andy Cowell

Adrian Newey also commented on the new position that Andy Cowell will hold within the team. “Andy’s new role, focused on integrating the new Power Unit with our three key partners, will be crucial in this journey,” explained the new Team Principal.

For the remainder of 2025 and the early part of next season, Adrian Newey will continue to concentrate fully on the development of Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger before officially stepping into the Team Principal position at the start of the new regulation cycle.