Opinion: is Adrian Newey the one person who can improve Aston Martin's F1 fortunes?

Adrian Newey is not simply an engineer, he is the Michelangelo of car design. A sculptor shaping airflow into world championships. His designs have conquered the sport for decades, with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull all enjoying their golden eras under his guidance.

His presence in a team is like having an ace up your sleeve. Aston Martin is an ambitious team with a billionaire’s backing, a former world champion in Fernando Alonso and a hunger for glory. Has it just secured the one ingredient that could transform it from contender to champion?

I remember Miami 2024, when speculation was rife about where Adrian was going to go, having announced he would leave Red Bull after 19 years. Unlike many of the characters in the F1 paddock, Adrian shies away from media attention. His discomfort around the camera crews was palpable, but as we know F1 negotiations often play out in the public arena.

I was having a quick one-on-one catch up with him when Lawrence Stroll swooped in, caught Adrian’s eye, and with the hand gesture of an imaginary phone to his ear, mouthed “call me”. A camera behind him caught it all. It spread like wildfire that Adrian was joining Aston Martin. Smart move from Mr Stroll. Within a few weeks he had secured the most hotly contested signature in the sport.

But can one man really make the difference? Well yes, if that man is Adrian Newey. The psychological boost for a team that slipped five places from its 2023 standing to its 2024 finish is immeasurable. Talented staff fill the ranks at Aston Martin, but his signing is surely the shot in the arm Aston needs to reignite its challenge. Stroll’s deep pockets, Alonso’s ageless brilliance and the state of the art factory are all handy, but what Aston has arguably lacked until now, is a true technical visionary.

What makes Newey unique though isn’t just his knowledge, it is his passion (regardless of the eye watering renumeration, rumoured to be £30 million a year). He is a racing romantic who still sketches car concepts by hand. He designs hypercars in his spare time and recently teamed up with my brother’s architecture and construction startup, Shack, to design an affordable F1-inspired garage. How does the man find the time?

Aston Martin, as a brand, relies on its diehard fans, and Aston signing Adrian Newey is almost as strong a story for them as Ferrari bringing Lewis Hamilton into the fold. Will either partnership guarantee success? Nothing in Formula One ever does, but it signals that Aston isn’t there to make up the numbers.