Fernando Alonso emphasizes that the AMR25 does not bear the signature of Adrian Newey: the British design genius is working exclusively on the 2026 project.
The arrival of Adrian Newey at Silverstone inevitably sparked immediate expectations around Aston Martin. However, Fernando Alonso wanted to clarify a crucial point, and this is not the first time he has done so: the AMR25 neither carries nor will carry the imprint of the British designer. This decision is no coincidence but is part of a long-term strategy that guided the hiring of one of the most influential engineers in modern Formula 1.
A transitional period without affecting the 2025 car
Just a few days after completing his first six months as Technical Director, Newey has not interfered with the project currently racing on track. The AMR25 is the result of work carried out by the Aston Martin team long before his arrival, and the choice to avoid diverting efforts on an already established package reflects a broader, strategic vision. Alonso emphasized this clearly: “He had no involvement; from day one, he remained focused on the 2026 car.”
In practice, Newey has attended various meetings with the technical departments, but always with a clear objective: to lay the groundwork for the regulatory transition. For an engineer who built his career on anticipating scenarios, it makes no sense to waste resources on a project destined to live only a dying cycle, lacking regulatory continuity.
Focus on 2026 and the Adrian Newey method
The real focus is therefore the AMR26, the car that will debut under the new technical regulations in 2026. According to Fernando Alonso, even now Adrian Newey is already envisioning potential challenges and opportunities that may arise not at the season start but several months into the championship. This predictive approach, based on analyzing development trends and designing adaptable solutions, is a hallmark of the British engineer: creating cars that are not only competitive at debut but able to withstand opponents’ updates throughout the season.
The Spanish driver described Adrian Newey’s thinking as “incredible,” especially regarding scenarios linked to the seventh race, when the first aerodynamic upgrades will presumably already be introduced. It is not only about designing a fast car, but building a concept capable of evolving, ensuring a long-term development margin across the season.
How useful is 2025 for the future?
When asked if this year’s experience could provide useful material for preparing the new technical cycle, Alonso responded pragmatically. The only area where current track activity has direct value is operational: pit stops, procedural management, and refining precision in execution. On a technical level, however, the divide between regulations is absolute.
Insights from the AMR25 will not transfer to the 2026 car because the underlying concept is fundamentally different. Work carried out in the wind tunnel and simulations is already fully directed at the new package, which represents the true testing ground for the Silverstone factory. “Now we just have to wait until January,” Alonso noted, referring to the moment when the team can measure the real competitiveness of the project during the closed-door pre-season tests in Barcelona.
Boosting morale and laying the groundwork
Even without touching the current car, Newey’s impact has been felt in the factory. His mere presence has boosted morale and strengthened the belief that the team now has a technical leadership capable of guiding Aston Martin in the coming years. This is not a tactical intervention but a structural investment: Newey’s time and resources were not used to adjust an already-defined project, but to design a future where Aston Martin can consistently compete at the top.
From this perspective, the AMR25 remains an intermediate step. It will be the AMR26, the first true “Newey creation” in Aston Martin green, that will determine whether focusing entirely on the 2026 project proves to be a winning strategy.
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