Aston Martin names Adrian Newey as F1 team principal for 2026

Aston Martin has named Adrian Newey as its new Formula 1 team principal for the 2026 season.

The legendary engineer, who joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner on 1 March, will step into his new role as Andy Cowell moves on to a chief strategy officer position.

This restructure was described as a “mutual decision” by ambitious team owner Lawrence Stroll and will likely end last weekend’s speculation that Christian Horner was in the running to join the squad. 

A long-time leader of Mercedes’ powertrain division, Cowell moved to Aston Martin as Group CEO in July 2024 and took the team principal mantle over from Mike Krack in January 2025.

Cowell’s position in Stroll’s outfit was however weakened by the Silverstone-based squad’s poor results in 2025, as it lies eighth in the constructors’ standings.

Unless it progresses to seventh [which is quite possible] or sixth [which is rather unlikely], this will be Aston’s worst result since the British brand took the Force India/Racing Point team over in 2021 - though it scored fewer points per round in 2022.

Andy Cowell, Team Principal and Group CEO at Aston Martin F1 Team with Adrian Newey, Managing Technical Partner of Aston Martin F1

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Having contributed to 12 constructors’ world titles and 14 drivers’ crowns as an engineer and designer, Newey will also retain his managing technical partner position, consisting of “guiding the technical team, including the trackside operations of the car”, as per Aston’s press release.

“Over the last nine months, I have seen great individual talent within our team,” the new team principal said.

“I’m looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where we will face an entirely new position with Aston Martin now a works team combined with the considerable challenge faced by the new regulations.

“Andy’s new role, focusing on the integration of the new PU with our three key partners, will be pivotal in this journey.”

Cowell’s new chief strategy officer position, which is evocative of predecessor Krack’s move to a chief trackside officer position, will involve his “unparalleled experience and expertise in working on power units”.

“Andy will help optimise the technical partnerships between the team, Honda, Aramco and Valvoline and will work closely with the team’s partners to ensure the seamless integration of the team’s new PU, fuel and chassis,” the press release details.

Lawrence Stroll, Owner of Aston Martin F1 Team

Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images

Interestingly, Cowell himself is quoted describing his recent contribution as “setting the foundations for Adrian and the wider organisation”, adding: “It is an appropriate time for me to take a different role as chief strategy officer.”

Stroll praised Cowell as a “great leader”, among whose accomplishments is “fostering a culture that puts the race car back at the heart of what we do”, which curiously implies it was not the case previously.

Aston Martin faces high expectations for 2026 given the overhaul in F1’s technical rules on both the chassis and engine sides, as well as Stroll’s mammoth financial investment into making the team a future world champion, which has been unsuccessful thus far.