Adrian Newey lifts lid on health issues after Aston Martin absence

Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey has broken his silence on “a difficult period” following a bout of ill health, confirming that he is “OK now” after his recent return to the F1 paddock.

Newey was appointed Aston Martin team principal ahead of the F1 2026 season, with the legendary designer taking a senior management position for the first time in his illustrious career.

Adrian Newey addresses health issues for first time

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

The 67-year-old attended the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March before missing the following four races, returning to the paddock at the Monaco Grand Prix earlier this month.

Media reports in May revealed that Newey had spent a period working from home after a bout of illness saw him hospitalised.

In an interview with Aston Martin’s official website, Newey has addressed his health for the first time, quipping “it never rains but it pours” in light of the team’s challenging start to F1 2026.

Go deeper: The genius of Adrian Newey

F1 aerodynamics: How to see air like Adrian Newey | The Tech Check Up

Can Adrian Newey really see air?

Newey revealed that his health problems date back to 2025, forcing him to balance his health and his work with greater care.

He also paid tribute to the team’s handling of the situation in ensuring that his stint away had a minimal impact on the team’s recovery from a slow start to the season.

Newey said: “I’m OK now, but it’s been a difficult period. As I said earlier, it never rains but it pours.

“In truth, I was not 100 per cent last year. I had to balance health and work much more carefully.

“The team handled it incredibly well. I kept a very good relationship with the engineers and I don’t feel it caused too much of a blip. That’s a testament to how adaptable and supportive everyone here is.”

Since the Monaco Grand Prix, Newey has also missed the last two races in Barcelona and Austria.

PlanetF1.com understands that Newey is expected to attend other events later this season, with his schedule thought to be similar to that of his predecessor, Andy Cowell, who attended between 10 and 14 races per year.

It is believed Newey’s choice of the races he attends depends on where he feels he can bring most value to the team.

PlanetF1.com revealed in March that Newey is set to vacate the position of Aston Martin team principal in due course, with Jonathan Wheatley expected to be appointed as his successor.

It is understood that Newey has led the search for his long-term successor since his own appointment to the role last November, with Wheatley – who previously worked with the designer at Red Bull – emerging as the leading candidate.

Audi went on to confirm the departure of Wheatley, who joined the then-Sauber outfit as team principal in April 2025, 48 hours later.

Newey told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets earlier this year that he has found the responsibilities of team principal “a bit distracting” for his core work on design and development.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Austrian GP conclusions: Desperate Russell, Verstappen future, Newey’s Aston vision