"Red Bull have blocked my tools": Adrian Newey shares update on when he can start work on the Aston Martin project

Formula 1 car designer Adrian Newey recently talked about how his former team of Red Bull has created a barrier to his plans for designing his new team, Aston Martin's car for the 2026 season. Speaking in a podcast appearance, Newey explained that the Austrian team has stopped him from being able to use his tools so that he can begin his design once the new regulations come in for the season after this.

Newey, who has been with Red Bull for almost 20 years as their chief engineer and chief technical officer, was announced to be joining the Aston Martin team in September of last year. He will join the Silverstone-based team in a long-term deal as Managing Technical Partner. Even though Newey's tenure with Aston Martin begins in March, the teams are allowed from this month onwards to begin work on the car for next year, which comes with updated chassis and power unit regulations.

Adrian Newey was asked if Red Bull, who he leaves after designing the RB17 hypercar, can stop him from planning the car for their rivals. The Brit said in conversation with Autocar (via PlanetF1):

“No, they can’t, but they’ve blocked my tools."

The tools that Newey is referring to is the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) system he needs to create the car with the new regulations. Going into detail about that, as well as having a two-month delay on getting started, he said:

"I’ll already be kind of two months behind the curve. But in truth, of course, it’s more than that, because not only will I be behind on the looking at those regulations compared to when they’ve come out… With the way the regulations have gone, you really need to be in front of a CAD system as well, to be able to understand all the boxes and so forth. They’re so prescribed."

Also part of Newey's plans in March includes meeting the team at Aston:

“But also, it will be getting to know a new team, getting to know all the guys and girls there and how we all work together.”

Adrian Newey, who joined RBR in 2006, leaves after having designed Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel's eight championship winning cars, along with helping the team secure six Constructors' championship titles.

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Adrian Newey's move to Aston Martin is based on the advanced facilities

Fernando Alonso, Adrian Newey, Lawrence Stroll, and Lance Stroll, at a press conference at Aston Martin Headquarters - Source: Getty

When it was announced that Adrian Newey would be joining Aston Martin, as part of the statement he released, included his reasons for joining the Lawrence Stroll-managed team. In the announcement, Newey credited Stroll's advanced facilties saying (via F1.com):

"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."

Adrian Newey will get started on the Aston Martin's 2026 car later this year, which will make use of a Honda power unit for the first time.