On paper, between an Aston Martin Racing team run by a rich businessman and acquired, so to speak, in order to offer a good driving seat to his son; and a myth like Ferrari, with the most successful driver of all time, there was no photo…And yet, for his final challenge in F1, Adrian Newey has indeed chosen to join Lawrence Stroll and the driver tandem composed of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
Will Adrian Newey form a “magic” trio with Verstappen and Honda?
So, obviously, the talented designer wanted to explain this choice, which goes well beyond a nationality in common with the British brand, whose aura, in the United Kingdom, is close to that of Ferrari in Italy. Surprisingly, Newey draws a parallel between Lawrence Stroll and former team bosses from the old school of F1 such as Eddie Jordan, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis. He goes further by admitting to having been seduced by the passionate character of the man in question.
« I think for my part, I was very flattered by the number of teams that approached me. I’ve had discussions with some of these teams, not all. Ultimately, it became a very clear and natural choice, for all the reasons I stated earlier in the talk.” declares Adrian Newey, in an interview relayed by the official F1 website.
« Towards the end of April I decided I needed to do something different. I spent a lot of time with Mandy, my wife, discussing what’s next…What do we do? Are we going to sail around the world? Am I doing something different? We took some time. I felt I was lucky to have achieved what I aspired to do from the age of 10 or 12, which was to just be a designer – I didn’t even know the word engineer – in motor racing.”
“I can honestly say that everything else has been a bonus, having somehow achieved this straight out of college. I never expected, of course, anything like what I was lucky enough to be involved with. But you have to be honest with yourself and stay fresh, so I felt I needed a new challenge.”
“Lawrence [Stroll] and I have known each other from time to time over the years, we often cross paths in the gym, especially during races in the Middle East and Far East. As I announced to everyone that I would be leaving the old team, I was very flattered to have lots of approaches from different teams, but really Lawrence’s passion, commitment and enthusiasm was very endearing , it’s very persuasive. “, he continues.
“The reality is that if you go back 20 years, what we call team managers today were actually the owners of the teams, Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, Eddie Jordan, etc. In the modern era, Lawrence is actually the only properly active team owner. It’s a different feeling when you have someone like Lawrence involved like that, it’s a return to the old school model. And having the chance to be a shareholder and partner is something that has never really been, or that has never been offered to me before. It is [une opportunité] which I look forward to. It became a very natural choice“, concludes the Englishman, still employed by Red Bull Racing until the end of the current season.
It is therefore Fernando Alonso who will benefit from the talents of the person concerned, perhaps with a view to a final crown for the Spaniard, who will have to bow out shortly, given his age. Knowing that, already, the specter of the arrival of Max Verstappen is being felt. History of recreating a magical trio composed of Newey and Verstappen but also of Honda, who will join the adventure from the 2026 season…
Article published at 5:45 a.m., 05/10/2024
