Aston Martin has confirmed a sweeping leadership overhaul that will see legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey assume the role of team principal beginning in 2026. Current team principal and CEO Andy Cowell will transition into a newly created chief strategy officer position, as the organization reshapes its technical and operational structure ahead of the sport’s next major regulation change.
The announcement follows months of speculation surrounding the team’s leadership future, including reports linking former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to a potential move. Aston Martin ended the rumors Wednesday by confirming that Newey, who joined the team earlier this year as managing technical partner and shareholder, will officially take full leadership of the racing operation next season.
In a statement, the team said Cowell and Newey “have agreed to divide their responsibilities in order to focus on their individual strengths and expertise,” giving the organization what it described as a clearer and more efficient internal structure.
Newey Takes On First Team Principal Role of His Career
Newey, widely considered the most successful car designer in Formula 1 history, has never before held the formal title of team principal despite decades of championship success across Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull. His cars have earned 12 drivers’ titles and 14 constructors’ championships, including Red Bull’s dominance from 2010–2013 and again through 2021–2023.
At 66, he now steps into team leadership at a crucial moment for Aston Martin. The team will become a full Honda works operation in 2026 and face a completely new set of aerodynamic and power-unit regulations. Newey has already been deeply involved in the team’s 2026 car design and its broader technical restructuring.
“Over the last nine months, I have seen great individual talent within our team,” Newey said. “I am looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where we will face an entirely new position with Aston Martin now a works team combined with the considerable challenge faced by the new regulations.”
Team owner Lawrence Stroll praised the move, noting that Newey’s expanded responsibilities “enable him to make full use of his creative and technical expertise” at a pivotal time.
Andy Cowell Shifts Into Strategic Role Focused on Honda Partnership
Cowell, who joined Aston Martin in mid-2024 and took over as team principal at the start of 2025, will now shift into a strategic role deeply focused on power-unit integration, fuel and lubricant development, and the team’s collaboration with Honda, Aramco, and Valvoline.
“Having implemented much-needed structural changes as we transition to a full works team and set the foundations for Adrian and the wider organization, it is an appropriate time for me to take a different role,” Cowell said.
The former Mercedes High Performance Powertrains boss will now work to optimize Aston Martin’s technical capabilities, ensure smooth collaboration with Honda ahead of the 2026 rules reset, and oversee key long-term engineering initiatives.
Stroll described Cowell’s leadership this year as “instrumental,” noting he helped create a culture “that puts the race car back at the heart of what we do.”
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Aston Martin Undergoes Significant Staffing Overhaul
Newey’s expanded influence at Aston Martin has already triggered major internal restructuring. According to multiple sources, a significant shake-up in the technical department is underway. Approximately seven senior figures from aerodynamics and car design roles are expected to exit their current positions, including aerodynamics director Eric Blandin and former chief designer Akio Haga.
Blandin, who previously held high-level roles at Ferrari and Mercedes, had moved into the aerodynamics director position earlier this year after former technical director Dan Fallows departed. The changes follow Newey’s feedback in recent months as he identified areas needing improvement and realigned resources toward simulation, modeling, and 2026 development priorities.
Aston Martin has recently added new technical leadership, including chief aerodynamicist Gioacchino "Jack" Vino and simulation and vehicle modeling director Giles Wood, a longtime Newey collaborator from his Red Bull years.
Under Formula 1’s cost cap rules, staff who exit F1 operations must be moved entirely away from any F1-related work, complicating internal reshuffles.
A team spokesperson declined to comment directly on staffing changes, saying: “We do not comment on internal staff matters.”
A Difficult 2025 Season Sets Stage for Change
Aston Martin’s restructuring comes during a challenging 2025 campaign that has seen the team fall to eighth in the constructors’ standings, slipping behind Haas after the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The team has not finished higher than fifth in any race this year, despite a heavily upgraded factory, expanded staff, and substantial capital investment.
Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have struggled with performance instability and inconsistency, highlighting deeper systemic issues that Newey has been tasked with correcting.
Cowell acknowledged earlier this year that Aston Martin needed to better unify its departments, eliminate siloed working habits, and streamline efforts under a single vision.
“Every department has grown over the last three or four years,” he said. “But have they grown together as a team? I would question that. There is more we can do to work together with a pure focus on the race car.”
Cowell said Newey has provided essential clarity in identifying weaknesses: “Adrian has been able to do the gap analysis by providing the target point, and therefore you know the journey that needs to be taken.”
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Looking Ahead: A Defining Moment Before 2026
With a new works-power partnership, a new team principal, a redesigned technical structure, a new wind tunnel, a new factory, and sweeping regulation changes, Aston Martin enters 2026 at a true crossroads.
Newey’s appointment reflects the team’s desire to centralize decision-making under one of the sport’s most influential minds, while Cowell’s strategic role ensures continuity with Honda and core partners.
Stroll emphasized that the moves were mutually agreed upon and serve the team’s long-term interests.
“We all look forward to continuing working with Andy in his new capacity,” he said.
With pressure mounting to reverse a disappointing 2025 season, Aston Martin will now look to its restructured leadership, and to Newey’s renowned vision, to lead the team into a radically new Formula 1 era.