F1 2026: Damon Hill anticipates another Adrian Newey masterpiece for Aston Martin. F1 | As Aston Martin gears up, Hill expects Newey to shine.

F1 | Even Hill keeps fingers crossed: “Let’s hope Newey brings a rocket”

With words echoing those of Jock Clear, 1996 world champion Damon Hill hopes that the British designer can produce a truly competitive car for Aston Martin.

The 2025 season is now transitioning from anticipation to reality: this week will finally see the first reveals of the brand-new cars for the upcoming season, which will go down in history due to numerous technical regulation changes. Many of these changes focus on engines, with some already stirring controversy in recent weeks. However, these adjustments, which go beyond just the power units, are generating significant curiosity among fans and insiders alike.

All eyes are on Adrian Newey. One of the biggest questions concerns the work that a true Formula 1 genius like Newey can deliver, as he begins a new chapter of his career with Aston Martin this year. Recently, former Ferrari engineer Jock Clear expressed hope to see the new ‘rocket’ created by the designer who contributed to the successes of Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull. Now, Damon Hill has voiced very similar expectations.

The 1996 world champion, who won the title driving the Williams FW18 designed by Adrian Newey himself, hopes to witness yet another masterpiece from his fellow Brit. “Let’s all hope that Adrian Newey has found something in the regulations and that he shows up with a rocket,” Hill said on the Stay on Track podcast. “That is the expectation: that Aston Martin and Newey have discovered something special.”

As the countdown to the first reveals of the 2026 era begins, the excitement surrounding Adrian Newey’s arrival at Aston Martin continues to reach a fever pitch. Damon Hill’s “rocket” analogy perfectly captures the blend of hope and trepidation felt by rivals and fans alike whenever Adrian Newey is handed a blank sheet of paper. Whether Silverstone can truly jump to the front of the pack remains to be seen, but with the world’s greatest designer at the helm and a champion like Fernando Alonso in the cockpit, the ingredients for a historic upset are officially on the table.