Adrian Newey Leads Aston Martin Effort to Build Competitive F1 Car to Attract Max Verstappen

Adrian Newey, the renowned Formula One designer who joined Aston Martin in March 2025, has emphasized that attracting four-time world champion Max Verstappen to the team hinges on building a championship-winning car. Newey, who was instrumental in Verstappen's success at Red Bull, described the prospect of signing Verstappen as a 'pipe dream' until Aston Martin develops a car fast enough to compete at the highest level. He highlighted current challenges, including issues with the driver-in-the-loop simulator that negatively impacts car development and would take years to fix. Newey also praised Aston Martin's talented personnel but stressed the need for better organization and cohesion within the team. While rumors of lucrative offers for Verstappen circulate, Newey insists that the driver's primary criterion is performance, and Aston Martin's focus remains on creating a competitive car under the new 2026 regulations. Additionally, Newey expressed long-term ambitions to work alongside other top drivers like Fernando Alonso and defended current driver Lance Stroll against criticism.