Christian Horner has drawn parallels between Adrian Newey’s current tenure at Aston Martin and his initial period at Red Bull Racing. Horner, the former Red Bull Team Principal, stated that Newey’s experience at Aston Martin mirrors the pushback he encountered when recruiting the designer in 2006.
Newey joined Aston Martin as Managing Technical Partner on March 1, 2025, ahead of the 2026 regulatory changes. In November 2025, he was appointed Team Principal for the 2026 season, succeeding Andy Cowell.
Aston Martin’s 2026 Formula 1 season has been challenging, with the team currently holding tenth position in the Constructors’ standings. The team has accumulated only seven points across 17 rounds to date.
Horner recalled internal resistance at Red Bull when Newey arrived, with some staff expecting Newey to conform to existing methods.
“There was a feeling, certainly within the old guard of the former Jaguar group, ‘well, Adrian’s going to have to fit into our way of working’. And I thought, ‘no, you’re going to have to fit in with his way of working’.”
Horner emphasized Newey’s track record of over 100 race victories at that time, contrasting it with Jaguar’s lack of wins. He granted Newey significant autonomy to build the technical group around his requirements.
Aston Martin’s AMR26 car has faced documented struggles throughout the 2026 season. Early development was compromised, with the car’s wind tunnel model introduced four months later than rival teams in April 2025.
The car’s initial issues included significant vibrations, a lack of downforce, and being overweight. These problems led to driver discomfort and reliability concerns in early rounds.
The Honda power unit, a new works partnership for Aston Martin in 2026, was initially considered the least powerful on the grid. It suffered from vibration issues and poor reliability early in the season.
Honda introduced a ‘new spec’ power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix in August 2026. This upgrade focused on improving combustion, piston shape, and reducing friction.
Aston Martin also deployed a substantial 16-part B-spec chassis upgrade at the Hungarian Grand Prix in July 2026. This package aimed to address fundamental aerodynamic and weight issues.
The B-spec upgrade reportedly halved the team’s pace deficit and allowed Fernando Alonso to progress beyond Q1, a rare occurrence earlier in the season. Despite these improvements, Honda has acknowledged that the team’s performance has fallen short of expectations.
The 2026 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas is the next event for Aston Martin. The race is scheduled for Sunday, October 25, on the 5.513-kilometre circuit.
