Jacques Villeneuve warns Fernando Alonso: “2026 is too soon to have a competitive car”. Jacques Villeneuve feels Adrian Newey’s arrival won’t bring immediate benefits to Aston Martin.

Adrian Newey – Aston Martin
Adrian Newey at Aston Martin from next season: this is obviously the most talked-about news on the eve of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with the British designer set to start work next March in time to prepare the car for 2026, keeping in mind the new regulations that will come into effect for power units.

Fernando Alonso’s dream
Among the many who have expressed their appreciation for Newey’s arrival at the Silverstone-based company is, of course, Fernando Alonso, who is aiming to win his third world title thanks to the contribution of the British engineer at Aston Martin. A new addition that could bring considerable advantages to Lawrence Stroll’s team, but will it be enough to help Alonso’s dream of returning to the top of the world? For another driver who has won a world title in Formula 1, the answer is clear: no.

Jacques Villeneuve’s doubts
This opinion was expressed by Jacques Villeneuve, who in 1997 was the last driver to win a Formula One world championship with Williams, driving the FW19, the last car designed by Newey for the Grove team: “This will give Alonso the energy and drive to continue,” he explained to Sky Sports F1, praising the Spaniard’s qualities. “There’s no reason why he should be slower than he is now or than he was last year, but it takes time. 2026 might also be a bit too soon to have an extremely competitive car. It’s a long-term project, and I’m not sure Alonso will benefit from it, which is probably frustrating for Fernando. By that point, he could already be in the WEC.”

The challenge for Adrian Newey
Villeneuve didn’t just share his view on the challenges Alonso might face, but also those awaiting Adrian Newey, who will embark on a real “challenge”: “Newey is the number one designer in racing history,” the Canadian added. “He’s moving from winning teams, like McLaren and Red Bull, to one that is currently midfield, and he’s there to try to build it up and make it a winning team. This is a great challenge for him. They’ve built an incredible factory, and money is not a limit for this team.” – Jacques Villeneuve concluded on this matter.