What Aston Martin’s grand, sleek unveiling says about Adrian Newey’s big arrival

Although the grey Silverstone sky may have not have suggested it, a new dawn was breaking inside the walls of Aston Martin’s F1 base.

This 400,000sq ft colossal has become the ace up Lawrence Stroll’s sleeve. Ever-expanding so that each time you visit, another section has been completed. It is this advancement of technology and proof of commitment to the cause that made it the ultimate bargaining chip in Aston Martin and Lawrence Stroll’s long pursuit of Adrian Newey.

Behind the scenes of Adrian Newey’s grand Aston Martin reveal

It was a courting three years in the making but the announcement of Newey’s departure from Red Bull in April, a decision he said he took during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, was the five red lights going out for almost every constructor on the grid. Ferrari, who have pursued Newey unsuccessfully for years, were thought to be at the front of the queue but in the end, Stroll’s enthusiasm, the £200 million factory and a reported £30 million a year contract has got Aston their man.

Tuesday’s press conference, of which the subject was only officially confirmed 45 minutes before the announcement – by which time F1’s biggest media outlets had convened in a sleek waiting room looking out over the Northamptonshire country side – was a grand affair and one that will no doubt have been watched with searching eyes from here to Maranello.

It was a who’s who of Aston dignitaries. Team principal Mike Krack sat alongside Martin Whitmarsh, Dan Fallows, Tom McCullough and, Amanda Newey, a figure even more influential than Stroll in Newey’s decision to make the move. For once not the centre of attention, Fernando Alonso was in attendance, as was Lance Stroll, and the Spaniard smiled as Newey described him as an “arch enemy.”

Even drivers do not get this kind of treatment. Fernando Alonso’s first Aston Martin event was a post-season test in a blank race suit in Abu Dhabi. Ferrari may do similar with Lewis Hamilton next year but do not be surprised if they keep it simple as well.

This instead was a real statement of intent and a sign that Stroll in particular believes his project is on course to become not just a force but the force in Formula 1.

Before welcoming Newey to the stage, the Canadian billionaire listed the many objectives already achieved by the team. The new HQ, a reported $30 million per year partnership with Aramco and an exclusive deal with Honda from 2026. Newey though is the icing on that very large cake.

There will be some who will be disappointed with Newey’s choice – he mentioned that almost every team had enquired about his services – with a move to Maranello and a link up with Hamilton thought to be the perfect end to his glittering career but hearing from the man himself, it is clear that this is not just for a pay cheque.

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This project, still in its infancy in relative terms, is not too dissimilar from his switch to Red Bull but while moving from McLaren to a team bearing the brand of an energy company may have been a tougher sell, Newey conceded his love of the Aston Martin brand – he owns a couple of classic cars as part of his collection – was an influence in his decision.

Newey, holding the mic at slightly awkwardly and speaking in quieter tones than the bombastic Stroll alongside him, is never one to look too comfortable in the limelight. He sees his natural position as behind his drawing board, tucked away in a team’s HQ, or on the pit wall, watching his creation come to life out on track rather than under a bright studio light with a suite of cameras pointing his direction.

He wore a baby blue suit, with polka dot socks, and looked bare without his baseball cap and red notebook in hand. Christian Horner once joked that they had to pay Ron Dennis a fortune to get Newey’s drawing board from the MTC to Milton Keynes and soon the Red Bull team boss will watch removal men take it away and up the A5.

Stroll, sat confidently on his stall in a way that only someone worth $3.9 billion could, did little to hide his joy. When the Aston team were deciding how to announce Newey, no doubt it was Stroll who pushed for an affair like this and the Canadian was beaming as he cracked jokes. Shaking his head when Newey joked the HQ was not cheap.

Taking Newey’s metaphor of betting on black and saying he was betting on green. Describing Newey as the easiest piece of business he has done in his 40 years of experience in the industry.

Plenty will have their criticisms of Stroll but few can doubt his commitment. As Newey was at pains to point out, Stroll is the most active of all the team owners, something the designer said was a feature of yesteryear.

With experience of Frank Williams and Ron Dennis, two taskmasters themselves, on his CV, time will tell how Newey works alongside Stroll but with the 65-year-old becoming not just an employee but a shareholder too, it is clear for everyone to see he intends to be here for the long term and the sailing around the ocean with his wife will have to wait a while yet.

After the live broadcast had come to an end, Newey first went to his wife before returning to the stage for a photoshoot with various Aston dignitaries and the top brass – and then it was over.

Aston’s grand announcement made to the world and back to work they went. Newey, who has a holiday booked on Thursday, will return to Milton Keynes to fulfil his RB17 duties but no doubt will spare at least a couple thoughts to his move in March.

The nature of F1 means Newey will have little input into the 2025 car so the first portion of the year will be spent organising his team before his eyes turn to 2026 and the raft of new regulations come into effect.

Newey has plenty of cars in his history that could be considered his best ever but with the designer in green, Honda on board and a factory that rivals any on the grid, Lawrence Stroll has bet the farm that Newey’s magnum opus is still to come.

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