Aston Martin confirms signing Adrian Newey as a shareholder on a multi-year contract

Aston Martin has confirmed Adrian Newey as the team's latest signing as the ace engineer signed a multi-year contract with the squad. He will also become a shareholder in the team.

Speculation has been rife for some time now that one of the greatest car designers in F1 history was going to join the Silverstone-based squad. Early in the year, he surprised everyone when he announced his departure from Red Bull.

Newey had been a part of the squad for almost two decades, and his exit when the team was essentially the benchmark in Formula 1 was something nobody would have predicted. Initially, there were conversations as well as credible reports that he was tilting towards a move to Ferrari.

The iconic Italian brand reportedly courted Newey multiple times but the move never materialized. It was only during the summer break that it became apparent that Adrian Newey was going to Aston Martin, as the ace engineer was convinced by what Lawrence Stroll had to offer.

Ever since Lawrence Stroll took over the team in 2018, the kind of investment and dedication that he has shown is arguably second to none. Aston Martin's new facility in Silverstone is considered by many as the most technologically advanced on the entire grid. Newey is being paid a hefty salary, with reports of the value being somewhere in the region of £30 million a year with a multi-year contract in hand (via ESPN).

Looking forward to what would be a new phase of his life and a completely new journey, Adrian Newey said:

"I am thrilled to be joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with. Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport."

He added:

"His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in. Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal."

Lawrence Stroll gives his views on Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin

Lawrence Stroll was expectedly ecstatic at the new signing for Aston Martin. With Adrian Newey joining the squad, he has a super team in place. There's Mike Cowell at the top, there's Enrico Cardile, who is joining the team soon, there's Dan Fallows who has formerly worked with Newey, and there's Eric Blandin (formerly from Mercedes).

The team also has a power unit partnership with Honda from 2026 onwards and a driver lineup of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. With most of the pieces of the puzzle falling in place, Aston Martin is becoming more and more of a factor in the paddock. Giving his views on signing Newey, Lawrence Stroll said:

"This is huge news. Adrian is the best in the world at what he does – he is at the top of his game – and I am incredibly proud that he is joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. It's the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships."

He added"

"As soon as Adrian became available, we knew we had to make it happen. Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When he saw what we have built at Silverstone – our incredible AMR Technology Campus, the talented group of people we have assembled and the latest wind tunnel in the sport – he quickly understood what we are trying to achieve. We mean business – and so does he."

Newey can join the team next season as his work and engagement with Red Bull comes to an end. The focus from both parties would be on 2026 to get a headstart on what could be potentially a title bid from the team.