Newey-led Aston Martin has all the ‘ingredients’, but can it make it ‘click’?

State-of-the-art factory, wind tunnel, world champion driver, Honda power unit, Adrian Newey in the role of managing technical partner, and Adrian Newey as team principal.

Aston Martin has all the “ingredients”, but can it make it “click”? That, says Sebastian Vettel, is the big question as Formula 1 enters a new technical era next year.

Sebastian Vettel’s big question: Can Aston Martin make it click?

The F1 2026 season will bring with it a uniquely large set of regulation changes, as the sport introduces new chassis and new power units.

The cars will be smaller, lighter, and feature active aerodynamics with moveable front and rear wings, and will be powered by engines running on a 50/50 combustion and electrical split.

It is the biggest regulatory overhaul in the sport’s history, and it could turn the grid on its head.

One team widely tipped to take advantage is Aston Martin, who under Lawrence Stroll’s leadership, has been laying the foundations for a championship tilt for several years.

Building a state-of-the-art factory along with a brand new wind tunnel, the team also bolstered its personnel with key signings. One of whom was promoted to team principal earlier this week.

Aston Martin, who sits eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, announced on Wednesday that design legend Newey would take on the team boss role as of 2026 with current incumbent Andy Cowell moving into the role of chief strategy officer.

It means Newey will combine the team boss job with the managing technical partner role he has held since joining the team in March.

Aston Martin said in its announcement that Newey and Cowell had “agreed to divide their responsibilities in order to focus on their individual strengths and expertise, ensuring organisational efficiency”.

But is the 26-time champion’s promotion the final ingredient for Aston Martin?

More on Aston Martin’s team principal announcement

👉 Adrian Newey becomes new Aston Martin team principal in Cowell role change

👉 Stroll explains why he made Adrian Newey new Aston Martin team principal

Vettel, who spent his last two seasons in Formula 1 with Aston Martin, has warned it’s not about having all the ingredients in place. It’s making them click.

Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast about the upcoming 2026 season, the four-time World Champion said: “I think there’s more than one dark horse next year because you don’t know what’s going to happen with the regs and how teams will interpret them, which is also the exciting bit.

“Then there’s always the argument the strongest team now will have the strongest chance of succeeding with the big rule change because they have the strongest organisation.

“So you could argue McLaren is a favourite.

“Then it largely depends on the PU, how that pans out, but it’s going to be the big teams and Aston could be, I think, just from a resources point of view – I know because I’ve seen the projects when they started and now they are sort of finished.

“They do take time to really fall into place with the new tunnel, the factory and everything, the sim, and the partnership with Honda as well, and Honda doesn’t come out of the box, they have had now all these years of experience.

“So yeah, I think the ingredients are there and the ingredients have been there for a while, but you see also how hard it is to make it click.

“I mean, 2023, they had a fantastic open to the season and then struggled a little bit towards the end and then ‘24 and ‘25 was difficult for them.

“So yeah, the resources are there, the people are there, why not?”

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