Alonso ‘finally’ on Adrian Newey’s team at ‘important’ Aston Martin landmark

After an illustrious F1 career so far spent fighting against Adrian Newey, Fernando Alonso can celebrate the fact that they are “finally” on the same team.

Sat on the precipice of F1 2026, and a new era for Aston Martin, Alonso feels that this a “very important moment” for the team, as it readies to send its first Adrian Newey-designed car, the AMR26, into battle.

Fernando Alonso and Adrian Newey: Together in F1 ‘finally’

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

Whether it was in his Renault title-winning days mixing it up with McLaren, or trying to topple Red Bulls created under Newey’s watch, Alonso had been forced to observe Newey’s genius from the other side of the fence.

But, that changed when Newey arrived at Aston Martin in March 2025. His focus instantly was the new F1 2026 regulations, and on Monday, the AMR26 emerged in its full colours, having stolen the show in Barcelona, running its all-black attire.

Asked what it felt like when he realised that he would be driving one of Newey’s cars in F1 2026, Alonso told PlanetF1.com and others: “A very proud moment, for sure.

“I’ve been racing against Adrian for the whole of my career, and now finally, I can drive one of his cars.

“I think a huge challenge this year with a new set of regulations, and being a works team, you know, having Honda on our side, Aramco, and the challenge of the sustainable fuels for the 2026 regulations.

“Very proud to be part of this family and this organisation, and looking forward to succeed together.”

As Alonso mentions, F1 2026 truly is the start of a new era for Aston Martin.

Not only is the legendary Newey sending his first Aston Martin F1 creation into battle, this will also be Aston Martin’s first season as a works team, having partnered with Honda for the power unit.

The magnitude of where Aston Martin finds itself right now is not lost on Alonso.

“I feel this is a very important moment for the team,” Alonso declared. “It’s the very first time we are a works team. We have all the new pieces coming together. We have the factory now completed, we have the windtunnel, we have Honda, and we have a new set of regulations.

“So everything combines in a very important season for the team. What I feel is that it’s the beginning of something important in the next coming years.

“So yeah, as I said, very proud, very excited to be part of the project, and we are really looking forward to work flat out to have the success that I think this team deserves in the near future.”

More on Adrian Newey and Aston Martin from PlanetF1.com

‘Very extreme’ – Adrian Newey’s AMR26 suspension catches eye of rival F1 team boss

In his own words: Adrian Newey on the Aston Martin AMR26

Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll was asked what excites him the most about the Aston Martin F1 project.

“All of it,” he declared. “Just everything coming together.

“The new set of regulations, the collaboration with Honda, and driving an Adrian Newey-designed car is pretty exciting, for sure.”

Stroll has been at Aston Martin since day one of this incarnation of Team Silverstone.

He sees Aston Martin as an outfit which now has all the tools in place for a future championship challenge.

“When I think back to the team we were in 2021, and when you see everything that’s happened in Silverstone today, the transformation is incredible,” said Stroll.

“The ambition we have as a team. We want to win. We want to fight for race wins and championships in the future.

“I think it’s just very exciting and motivating for everyone to be a part of that.

“I think this next chapter for us this season, the new regulations, the collaboration with Honda, all the talent that has joined the team over the last few years, the windtunnel, the new simulator, all the tools we have to fight for race wins and championships going forward.

“I think it’s just very exciting. I’m looking forward to the future, for sure.”

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: Andy Cowell to depart Aston Martin after role shift under Adrian Newey