Fernando Alonso has expressed his satisfaction with the appointment of Adrian Newey as the new team principal for Aston Martin. The British engineer will assume this new role in 2026, and according to Alonso, this will primarily inspire many emerging talents to dream of working at Aston Martin. With Newey’s appointment, there seems to be no room for Christian Horner for the time being: ‘I don’t think we need more people in management,’ says Alonso.
Prior to the Qatar GP, Aston Martin announced that Adrian Newey will take over from Andy Cowell in 2026. The former Red Bull chief designer will then become the new team principal of the British team. Fernando Alonso, who will continue to race for the team until at least 2026, labels Newey’s appointment as a ‘logical step’ for his team.
“He was already involved in managing at least the technical development of the car. But also with the team, the people needed, and the areas where we as a team still needed to strengthen,” Alonso explains in Qatar. “So in a sense, he was already doing a lot of management work internally. Andy (Cowell) was already doing a lot of management work on the engine side and the integration of the engine into the chassis. Therefore, it was a logical step for 2026.”
The Spaniard was then asked about the expected leadership style of the newly appointed team boss. “I think Adrian has only one style, which is achieving good performance,” said Alonso. “With him, it’s all about the endless pursuit of performance and perfection. A great leader. And Adrian’s presence in the team attracts talent. Especially now that he is team boss, even more people will dream of joining the team to strengthen it.”
Horner
With Newey’s promotion to Aston Martin team boss, rumors about a possible arrival of Christian Horner also come to an end. According to Alonso, the chances of the Brit getting a contract with Aston Martin are slim, as the management structure is now strong enough. “With Adrian now as team boss, Andy (Cowell) taking on other responsibilities, and Lawrence (Stroll). Another great leader. I don’t think we need more people in management, but of course, that’s not my decision.”
