Adrian Newey will become Aston Martin’s team principal from the 2026 F1 season, with Andy Cowell taking on a new role with the team.
Newey will combine the role with the managing technical partner role he has held since joining the team in March after 20 years at Red Bull.
This will be the first time that Newey, 66, one of F1’s most legendary and successful car designers, has held the role of team principal since he began his career in the sport in the 1980s.
Cowell, who took over the role of team boss from Mike Clack earlier this year, will take on the new role of chief strategy officer ahead of the first season of Aston Martin and Honda’s engine partnership.
Cowell, a former Mercedes engine guru, first joined Aston Martin as chief executive in 2024, before being given additional responsibility for the team’s day-to-day management ahead of this season.
“Over the past nine months, I’ve seen great individual talent within the team,” Newey said.
“I look forward to taking on this further role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where Aston Martin, now a works team, will face an entirely new position, coupled with the huge challenges faced by the new regulations.”
“Andy’s new role, focused on integrating the new PU and our three key partners, will be critical to this effort.”
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Fernando Alonso discussed his goals with Aston Martin with Sky Sports F1’s Natalie Pinkham earlier this season
Cowell said: “As we transition to a full works team and implement much-needed structural changes as we prepare the foundations for Adrian and the wider organization, the time is right for me to take on a different role as Chief Strategy Officer.”
“In this role, I will help optimize the technical partnership between the team, Honda, Aramco and Valvoline and ensure seamless integration of the team’s new PU, fuel and chassis.”
More to come…
F1’s season-ending triple header continues with the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint weekend, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday. Stream Sky Sports now – cancel anytime with no contract
