Fresh Adrian Newey boost as Aston Martin hires Schumacher-era Ferrari engineer as consultant
Adrian Newey: Aston Martin's ticket to the top?
Former Ferrari simulations guru Marco Fainello has returned to F1 as a consultant to the Aston Martin team, PlanetF1.com understands.
It comes after Adrian Newey highlighted Aston Martin’s simulation tools as an area for improvement ahead of the F1 2026 rule changes.
Aston Martin hires simulations consultant after Adrian Newey raises concerns
Newey joined Aston Martin in the newly created role of managing technical partner, as well as becoming a team shareholder, in March this year.
The 66-year-old stands as the most decorated individual in F1 history with involvement in more than 200 race victories and a combined 26 drivers’ and constructors’ title triumphs for the likes of Red Bull, McLaren and Williams.
Newey is currently leading the development of the AMR26, Aston Martin’s first car under the new F1 2026 regulations, which will see the sport embrace 50 per cent electrification, fully sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.
Why Adrian Newey’s bond with Fernando Alonso is crucial for Aston Martin
👉 Why Adrian Newey’s private Alonso talks are so important for Aston Martin
👉 Adrian Newey’s to-do list: The five most important Aston Martin tasks
Next season will also mark the first season of Aston Martin’s highly anticipated technical partnership with Honda, Red Bull’s current engine supplier.
Newey has attended a small number of races this season, making his first trackside appearance in Aston Martin colours at the Monaco Grand Prix in May.
Discussing Aston Martin’s hopes for F1 2026 in Monte Carlo, Newey highlighted the team’s simulation tools as a clear limitation.
He said: “It’s fair to say that some of our tools are weak.
“Particularly the driver-in-the-loop simulator needs a lot of work because it’s not correlating at all at the moment, which is a fundamental research tool.”
Newey went on to suggest that it could take up to two years to bring Aston Martin’s simulation tools up to a sufficient standard.
The team has taken steps to remedy the situation in the months since, with Aston Martin appointing Giles Wood to the role of simulation and vehicle modelling director last summer.
Wood previously worked closely with Newey at both McLaren and Red Bull.
He stepped away from F1 activities in 2017 to join technology giant Apple, with his move to Aston Martin marking a return to the sport for the highly respected engineer.
It has emerged that Aston Martin has further strengthened its simulation drive by bringing in Fainello as a consultant.
Fainello is highly regarded in the field of simulation having played an instrumental role at Ferrari during the team’s dominant period with Michael Schumacher at the turn of the century.
The 61-year-old is thought to have been recommended to Aston Martin by Enrico Cardile, who joined as chief technical officer earlier this year after a spell as Ferrari technical director.
Fainello originally joined Ferrari in 1995, rising to the role of head of vehicle dynamics – a position he held between 1997 and Schumacher’s final title-winning season in 2004.
The Verona-born engineer helped oversee the development of Ferrari’s first-ever simulator before landing the role of performance development director.
After turning his attention to Ferrari’s road-car division and GT racing exploits, Fainello left Maranello at the end of 2016.
His consultancy role with Aston Martin has seen him return to F1 involvement for the first time in 13 years.
More on Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll from PlanetF1.com
The addition of Fainello comes after PlanetF1.com revealed in September that Aston Martin has signed former Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls strategist Nick Roberts.
Roberts is set to start work with Aston Martin in F1 2026 after a period of gardening leave, having recently departed his role as Racing Bulls’ senior strategy engineer.
He moved across to Racing Bulls in 2024 having initially joined Red Bull Racing in March 2016.
Additional reporting by Mat Coch
