Rumoured Adrian Newey gut feeling emerges as pundit claims Aston Martin ‘won’t be ready’
Adrian Newey believes Aston Martin “won’t be ready” to fight for the F1 2026 title despite the opportunity presented by the new regulations next season.
That is the claim of Riccardo Patrese, the former Williams driver, who says Newey was keen to downplay expectations for F1 2026 when the pair spoke at this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Patrese: Adrian Newey feels Aston Martin ‘won’t be ready’ for F1 2026 title fightAdditional reporting by Thomas Maher
Newey joined Aston Martin in the newly created role of managing technical partner in March, as well as becoming a shareholder in the F1 team.
The 66-year-old stands as the most decorated individual in the sport’s history with involvement in more than 200 race wins and a combined 26 Drivers’ and Constructors’ title triumphs for the likes of Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
Newey is currently leading the development of Aston Martin’s first car – expected to be named the AMR26 – under the new F1 2026 rules, which will see the sport embrace 50 per cent electrification, fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.
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Next season will also mark the start of Aston Martin’s technical partnership with Honda, Red Bull’s engine supplier since 2019.
Newey’s arrival has raised expectations that Aston Martin could emerge as a title-contending force when the new regulations are introduced.
However, Newey appeared to play down expectations during his first trackside appearance with Aston Martin at May’s Monaco Grand Prix, warning that some of the team’s simulation tools remain “weak.”
Patrese has claimed that Newey informed him that F1 2026 is likely to come too soon in Aston Martin’s development.
He told a gambling platform: “I spoke with Adrian at Goodwood and he feels that next year they won’t be ready and not raise expectations.
“If they come out and they are ready, it looks better for him!
“But he seemed honest when he said they would not be ready to go for the Championship.
“But you never know, because Adrian is incredible.
“Probably in his heart, he hopes to be ready already next year, but he doesn’t want to say that.”
Aston Martin was linked with an eye-watering $300 million move for Max Verstappen, the reigning four-time World Champion who worked closely with Newey at Red Bull, earlier this season.
However, the team distanced itself from the reports at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April, reiterating its commitment to its current lineup of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
In a statement issued to PlanetF1.com, an Aston Martin spokesperson said: “It’s normal for the media to speculate on driver market, but we have an amazing driver lineup that we are committed to and who are under contract for 2026 and beyond.
“Our focus is on delivering for our drivers by giving them a more consistent and competitive car.
“When we do, they are both capable of delivering great results.”
Newey later dismissed talk of a potential move for Verstappen, describing it as a “pipe dream” until Aston Martin can produce a quick car.
Patrese is refusing to rule out Aston Martin as a potential option for Verstappen, who remains officially under contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season.
He added: “[Newey] also said we are not ready to get Verstappen next year because he doesn’t think they can provide him with a winning car.
“This is what he says [but] we will see what will come out.
“He knows how strong Verstappen is.
“And if the car has the potential to win the championship, Verstappen can definitely be a choice for Aston Martin.”
More on Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso from PlanetF1.comPatrese’s comments come after Alonso and Stroll both spoke optimistically at the Dutch Grand Prix of Newey’s impact on Aston Martin ahead of the F1 2026 season.
Asked if he is starting to understand what makes Newey tick, Alonso told media including PlanetF1.com at Zandvoort: “Yes, definitely.
“You spend more time with him and you keep learning things and how he works and how he approach things, challenges, all these normal day-by-day, things in Formula 1.
“But I think he’s still a person that is very special and I think only few people will understand him fully and will be able to know exactly what he’s thinking and what he’s doing.
“So we will need more time. At the moment, we are in a phase of learning from him.
“Every conversation, every idea, everything that he says, we take it very carefully.
“We listen and we try to understand the approach that he’s taking into that comment.
“And thanks to that, I think we are growing as a team, so it has been very special for sure.”
Asked if Newey is starting to understand him too, Alonso replied: “I think so!
“I think all the questions and all the ideas that he raises, he explains why he thinks that it’s going to be a good solution for the team, for the car and for the drivers as well.
“In terms of how to approach the corner entry, maybe next year is very different than this year’s cars.
“Top speed is going to be different next year. Tyres are going to be different next year.
“So he tries to anticipate what the drivers will face in certain moments on the lap, in quali, versus the race and all this kind of thing.
“So he’s very educative.”
Stroll added: “Adrian right now is in a trance focused on drawing next year’s car.
“We spent some time together and it’s always great just hearing what he has to say and just talking about the future.
“But right now, it’s full focus on making next year’s machine.
“He’s been doing it for this long and he’s won more championships than anyone in this paddock, so I guess that says it all.”
Asked why he smiles so much when talking about Newey, he replied: “I think there’s not much reason not to smile about Adrian Newey making next year’s car, so it’s all exciting times.”
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