Метка: Aston Martin Racing

Alonso never doubted himself amid Aston Martin struggles

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Fernando Alonso says his unexpected Q3 performance in the Qatar Grand Prix shows why he was right never to doubt himself amid Aston Martin’s recent struggles.

The Spaniard, who is Formula 1’s oldest driver, has endured a challenging run of races off the back of his squad’s backward step with a new floor that arrived at the United States Grand Prix.

Its difficulties have left it as the eighth or ninth fastest team at times, with concerns it could even slip behind the Sauber squad that has recently delivered a step forward with a new floor.

But after a stronger-than-expected performance for Aston Martin in Qatar compared to recent outings, Alonso says that the result is proof that recent difficulties have been more about the car than the driving.

“Obviously you need to feel competitive from time to time, and I don’t have doubts about myself,” he said.

“I’m probably overconfident in my abilities [rather] than needing a result. But, yeah, it’s good to have a good result, and I guess for the team as well, that they can still trust when we are competitive.

“The car is responding well, when we are not competitive and fighting for Q1 it’s not that I became slow from day to night. It’s that the car is struggling, really. So our comments have to be trusted.”

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Alonso said there was no obvious explanation as to why Aston Martin had unleashed more pace in qualifying at Qatar, but suspects it could be something to do with the AMR24 being better suited to the soft tyres.

“It was unexpected, totally unexpected,” he said. “We’ve been struggling for the last four or five months. Even [getting] out of Q1 is a challenge now.

“And this weekend we seem a little bit more competitive, but especially now in tonight’s qualifying, I think we did some set-up changes since the sprint race, and I think the car was better now. Also, the red tyre did help the overall grip of the car.

“[In sprint qualifying], we were not obviously, we were eliminated, and we only tried the medium in SQ1, SQ2. So I think in quali, with the red tyre, you know, straight from Q1 we were competitive.”

Aston Martin has been trying to get to the bottom of why it has not made progress with its car this season and has been experimenting with floor philosophies in a bid to help its understanding.

The Budapest-concept floor it is using in Qatar is better suited to Losail’s high-speed demands, and Alonso thinks it was essential for the squad to show at least some signs of promise before the end of the campaign.

“It does help for sure because the team is never stopping working, even when we are starting from the back,” he said.

“There are a lot of studies, a lot of learning, and a lot of lessons that we are taking.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

“After the [sprint] race, we were more competitive than previous grand prix, but not in a happy place. We were struggling with the low-speed understeer, high-speed oversteer.

“So the car was not really together in terms of low to high speed. So we made some set-up changes.

“Now the car was better. It shows that there is always a constant work in searching for performance.

“If you are fighting for podium or if you are fighting for going out of Q1, I think the team is always motivated. So it’s not that we need the result to boost everyone, but it will always help to be competitive from time to time.”

In this article

Jonathan Noble

Formula 1

Fernando Alonso

Aston Martin Racing

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The uncomfortable decision facing Lawrence Stroll

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


You can build the most impressive factory and fill it with all the latest equipment and computer software. Construct the most sophisticated in-house wind tunnel, boosting the potential of your team’s development rate. You can hire the most successful F1 designer of all time, paying him £30 million a year to design your cars.

But it doesn’t matter one bit if the biggest weakness in the whole of the operation is the person responsible for delivering the results on track.

Lance Stroll’s formation lap blunder at the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix was evidence enough that if Aston Martin is deadly serious — as would seem by Lawrence Stroll’s considerable financial investment in the team’s new Silverstone factory — about becoming world champions, then an urgent rethink about its driver line up is required.

Stroll thudded his AMR24 into the Interlagos on the formation lap. Afterwards, in the media pen, he explained how he “had a huge rear lock” and hinted at a “brake failure problem”. Maybe so, and yes, he could also blame the heavy rain, standing water or even the uneven, bumpy surface, which he didn’t.

What is totally inexplicable is not the fact he hit the barriers (as he also did in qualifying), but his bewildering decision to turn his Aston Martin around and drive straight into the gravel, beaching his car so that he would not be able to start the race.

Such an error could be bestowed upon Oliver Bearman or even Franco Colapinto, who have not even raced in a handful of Grands Prix yet. But Stroll, somewhat incredibly in itself, has knocked up 163 starts across eight seasons.

You could even argue that had he even been driving for Sauber and sat at the very back of the grid, yes, it would have been embarrassing but tolerable. But this is Aston Martin. If you believe the hype, potential world champion in the not-too-distant future.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team in the garage

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin F1 Team in the garage

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Stroll sits 13th in the drivers’ championship, having been marooned on 24 points since the Hungarian GP in July when he was 10th. By way of a benchmark, his team-mate Fernando Alonso is on 62 points.

In his inter-team battle with Alonso since the start of 2023, the two-time F1 world champion has outscored the Canadian in 35 races, while Stroll has done the reverse just 10 times.

This is not just a trend with Alonso either. In his first season in F1 with Williams in 2017, Felipe Massa edged the battle 13 to seven. At Force India/Racing Point, Sergio Perez was 26 to 11.

To his credit Stroll, who did win the Italian Formula 4, Toyota Racing Series and European Formula 3 titles to earn his place on the grid, shaded the team-mate battle against Sergey Sirotkin at Williams in 2018 and did in fact beat Sebastian Vettel during their spell as team-mates at Aston Martin, although whether Vettel had checked out or not is a moot point.

There have been flashes of promise. Stroll took his maiden podium at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix and repeated that feat twice in 2020, at the Italian and the Sakhir GPs. The same year, he took his lone F1 pole at the Turkish GP, which he led for 32 laps. But the reality is the 26-year-old cannot deliver on a regular basis and is still prone to some inexcusable mistakes — as last Sunday proved.

Then there is his attitude to F1. Stroll’s future in the world championship has long been questioned. It was not that long ago that rumours began to surface that he was considering a career in tennis — something that he quickly dismissed as pie in the sky. But there has always been the widely-held suspicion that his heart is not really in it.

Something more unsavoury was his behaviour at the 2023 Qatar GP where, angry at being eliminated from the first qualifying session, Stroll appeared to push his trainer out of the way in frustration. It did at least show some passion and you could use that to argue that he does care about F1.

To his credit, Stroll showed guts to return to race in Bahrain last year just two weeks after breaking his wrist and toe in a cycling accident. Overcoming the pain barrier, he finished sixth. But last year he scored just 74 of Aston Martin’s total of 280 points.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A523

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23, Lando Norris, McLaren MCL60, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A523

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Yes, he is the owner’s son, but Lawrence Stroll is an accomplished businessman. So how is it possible that he is willing to ignore the glaringly obvious fallible part of the team? Presumably, his focus is on just how the team that started so positively in 2023 has again managed to take steps backwards with its development to limp over the line.

Aston Martin has rolled out the red carpet for Adrian Newey in the hope his designs can bring a revival of fortune. And it is not just Newey who has been signed, with Lawrence Stroll also recruiting other big names such as Enrico Cardile, who will join as Chief Technical Officer from Ferrari. Former Mercedes AMG HPP Managing Director, Andy Cowell, has taken the position of Group CEO, replacing Martin Whitmarsh in an expensive reshuffle.

Scrutiny will be on the aerodynamic design team and just what is going wrong. But there is a more obvious problem and, while it might be an uncomfortable one, it is looking increasingly like Stroll needs to take his son out of the cockpit if the team is to make good on its potential.

In fact, it might not even prove to be that painful a decision in the end and there is an option that could even save face. Aston Martin is entering the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans Hypercar class with its Valkyrie prototype and Stroll would be well-suited to switch codes and pilot it.

His experience in F1 would be a vital asset in Aston’s fledgling Hypercar project, and provide another perspective currently missing from its stable of GT drivers. It has the potential for considerable success, considering how Ferrari integrated ex-Sauber F1 racer Antonio Giovinazzi into its successful Le Mans project with the 499P LMH.

So who could Aston replace him with? It appears to have missed out on the glut of young talent that has surfaced this season with Bearman, Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Colapinto all signed to long-term deals. The team is also poised to miss out on Formula 2 championship leader, Gabriel Bortoleto, who is set to join Sauber next season.

Aston’s current reserve drivers are 2022 F2 champion Felipe Drugovich and Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne, both easily capable of filling Stroll’s place in the team. Another option could be Yuki Tsunoda, given that Honda will become Aston’s engine partner in 2026 and the Japanese driver’s chances seem limited at Red Bull.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images



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Alonso reveals back pain and brake “nightmare” that he would not let beat him

Опубликовано от ASPPA IMAGES ANO


Fernando Alonso has opened up on the back pain, emotions and mystery brake problems that he battled to drag his Aston Martin to the finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Spaniard had been struggling throughout last weekend with the new bumpy Interlagos surface, but matters reached a peak in the race as the repeated impacts were felt in his spine.

But despite the pain, a far from competitive car that had been repaired after his qualifying crash, plus brake issues that kept trying to pitch him off the track, he said there was no way he was going to simply give up.

During the race, Alonso came on the team radio to tell his team why he did not want to retire the car.

“I will finish the race for the mechanics,” he said. “They did a very good job today. But my back is hurting, man. This bouncing is not normal.”

After being consoled and hugged by a mechanic as he gingerly got out of his car after the race, Alonso explained that his situation had been getting worse and worse – but at no point was he ready to retire.

“There was a lot of bouncing, a lot of porpoising in the second half of the race,” he said. “I don’t know why, but it was a tough race. We were out of the points.

“I think in any other circumstances, probably I would have stopped. But the mechanics did an incredible job before the race to put the car ready on the grid, so I had to finish it for them.”

Alonso said he had been aware before of the challenges his back would face in the race and that was on top of the other issue of an intestinal infection that had prompted a trip back to Europe after Mexico and his late arrival in Brazil.

“It was painful, for sure. The lead-up to this race, it was a lot of preparation from my side, a lot of checks, a lot of work, a lot of physio and doctors in order to come here in Brazil,” he said.

“So it was a lot of effort from everybody: the same effort as the mechanics put in today.

“It was not comfortable in the car. But there are people worse than me, also in Valencia, we have these terrible images and people struggling. So I had to struggle a couple of laps for everybody.”

Brake issue

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

As well as battling the pain barrier, Alonso also had to overcome huge challenges in staying on track in the race – with his Aston Martin car suffering from brake problems.

In what appears to have been a repeat phenomenon to what pitched Lance Stroll off on the formation lap, Alonso said the rears kept locking after the restarts.

“I think Lance had the brake problem in the formation lap, and I had the brake issue after all the restarts, where all the brake balance goes completely rearwards,” he said. “It was like braking with a hand brake.

“So all in all it was a nightmare out there. We need to get better for the next three.”

Stroll, who compounded his formation lap spin into the barrier at Turn 4 by getting beached in a gravel trap that he tried to get across at low speed, said there was no immediate explanation for the brake issue.

“Yeah strange,” he said. “As soon as I touched the brakes, I just had a huge rear lock, and then I was a passenger from there.

“I never felt that in the car [before]. So maybe there was a brake failure problem. We have to look into it.”

The brake issue across both cars could be a consequence of the team’s brake mapping for wet restarts, aimed at warming the rear tyres by shifting the balance backwards, not resetting.



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Alonso to miss Mexico F1 media day through illness

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Fernando Alonso will miss his media day obligations at the Mexico City Grand Prix through illness, but is aiming to drive in Friday practice as he celebrates his 400th Formula 1 grand prix.

The Spaniard was due to miss the opening free practice session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in any case, as reserve driver Felipe Drugovich is pencilled in to drive in his stead to satisfy the rule over young drivers being given running in FP1.

However, Alonso will not take part in Thursday’s media activities, where he was due to appear in the second press conference session with Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu.

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A team statement from Aston Martin read: «Fernando Alonso is feeling unwell and will therefore not attend media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix. 

«Fernando is focused on feeling 100% for Friday and his planned return to the AMR24 for Free Practice 2.»

Although the Mexico race is Alonso’s 400th race weekend as a Formula 1 driver, it is not until Qatar where he will celebrate his 400th start.

The Spaniard failed to start in the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix, the 2005 US Grand Prix (in which all Michelin runners pitted after the formation lap) and the 2017 Russian Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Currently on 399 race entries, Alonso is some way ahead of the next most experienced drivers in Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, while former holder Rubens Barrichello is fourth on the all-time list with 326 entries. 

«It’s nice to achieve. Obviously, championships and race wins are what matter most to us as drivers but, at the same time, it shows my love for the sport and the discipline I’ve had to perform at a very high level for more than 20 years,» Alonso said of his milestone.

«In that time, I’ve achieved what every racing driver dreams of doing: becoming world champion, and I’ve had some incredible experiences racing against some of the best drivers in the world on the greatest racetracks.

«I don’t think I’ll be adding another 400 to my total, but hopefully I’ve got at least another 40 or 50 more races to come in the next couple of years.»

Watch: Why Verstappen’s Move on Norris is More Controversial than it Seems — F1 US GP Race Reaction



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Honda hopeful Aston Martin’s Newey capture can replicate Red Bull success

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Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe believes Adrian Newey joining Aston Martin’s Formula 1 ranks means it could create the «best car in the world» as it has with Red Bull.

Newey’s arrival at the Silverstone-based outfit for next year was revealed in September following months of speculation over his landing zone in F1.

The Briton had announced his departure from Red Bull earlier in the season after almost two decades with the Milton Keynes-based squad, one of a number of key members of staff to seek employment elsewhere in recent years.

Honda had been in partnership with Red Bull since 2019, albeit leaving F1 in an official capacity at the end of the 2021 season and instead becoming a technical partner to the world championship-winning constructor.

The marriage faced the biggest issue teams other than Ferrari, Mercedes and Alpine have in that the requirements from the chassis designers and the power unit design team can often clash, meaning compromises need to made rather than having a harmonious build process.

But, in spite of that, Red Bull and Honda have won each drivers’ championship since 2021 and taken the constructors’ title in the past two seasons.

Aston Martin will face the same task when teaming up with Honda for F1’s new era of technical regulations in 2026 but speaking to Autosport in an exclusive interview, Watanabe said he hopes Newey’s arrival could spark a replication of the Japanese marque’s achievements this decade with Red Bull.

Lawrence Stroll, Toshihiro Sanbe,,President and CEO Honda Motor,Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation,,Martin Whitmarsh

Lawrence Stroll, Toshihiro Sanbe,,President and CEO Honda Motor,Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation,,Martin Whitmarsh

Photo by: Motorsport.com Japan

«We’re pleased to see Aston Martin taking steady steps to strengthen their competitiveness as a team,» said Watanabe.

«We’re very encouraged that they have solidified their management structure, including Newey’s involvement.

«I’ve worked with Newey before, and he has an incredible passion for building fast cars.

«While we build the PU and they build the car’s chassis, there are times when our visions don’t always align.

«In such cases, there are conflicts between what the chassis team wants and what the PU team wants, but together, we’ve managed to create the best car in the world.

«With Newey now at Aston Martin, I expect similar challenges to arise, but I hope this will lead to the Aston Martin Honda team becoming the best in the world. We’re prepared for some conflicts. Of course, it’s not just with Newey.»



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Lawson reveals Alonso threat after US GP sprint battle

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Liam Lawson has claimed Fernando Alonso threatened to «screw» him after a scrap during the sprint race for Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix.

Racing for the first time since replacing Daniel Ricciardo after the Singapore GP, Lawson managed to irk Alonso while trying to pass the Aston Martin driver during the 19-lap sprint on Saturday morning, the two-time F1 world champion feeling Lawson could have caused a collision.

Come qualifying, the New Zealander had his mirrors filled by Alonso coming out of the pits before the Spaniard overtook him into Turn 1, delaying his progress.

“He said he would screw me and I guess he kept his word,” said Lawson.

“He was really upset, I’m not sure why. We were racing for P16 and I don’t know why he was so upset. It is what it is. Hopefully, he can get over it and we’ll move forward.

“Just out of the box playing games. It is what it is, it’s part of it — it doesn’t bother me.

“I understand he had a pretty horrible race so I can understand why he’s upset. But if I did anything wrong I’d have got a penalty. So, yeah…”

Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, and Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team, and Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Asked if he had expected to make a rival out of a two-time F1 world champion on his first outing of the year, Lawson replied: “I don’t think we have a rivalry, we just had an incident in the race and we can just get over it and move forward.”

Alonso would not be moved into discussing what he had said to Lawson after the session but felt their battle had been “unnecessary” given how far down the field they were.

«That is between us,” he said of the conversation.

Alonso had already labelled Lawson an “idiot” over the team radio during the sprint race before passing the RB on track during qualifying later in the day.

Asked by Autosport what happened, he replied: “Qualifying? What happened in qualifying? Because I had the scrubbed set, I was not really into a timed lap, so I didn’t want to lose more time.

“It didn’t change too much to him. But in the sprint, we fought very, very hard. He fought very hard, in my opinion, for 16th, 17th. But nothing we can do.

Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Esteban Ocon, Alpine A524

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

“As long as one of the two cars lifts off, there is never an accident. So it was my case today.

“Everyone on track is behaving as he wants, and for me, today was unnecessary. You know, everyone can have different opinions. I’m OK with that. It’s 24 races, so you meet somewhere in the journey.»

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Talking about the incident itself, Alonso added: “On the straight, I think we nearly crashed, like I did with Lance [Stroll] two years ago, at 300-something [km/h], and then the way he squeezed, out of the corners to the track limit itself… in lap one out of [Turn] 11.

«But I don’t want to make a big thing [out of it]. There’s no penalty when someone lifts off in [Turns] 16/17 – that was probably the biggest surprise.»

Alonso went on to qualify eighth for the race, while Lawson will start from the back of the grid after a penalty for changing engine components on the car he inherited from Ricciardo.



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Sharing Mercedes wind tunnel ‘no excuse’ for 2024 struggle

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Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has conceded the shared use of Mercedes’ wind tunnel could be “a factor” in his team being off the pace this season, but insisted it was no excuse for the downfall.

Whereas the 2023 campaign saw Aston Martin claim seven podium finishes in the first 18 grands prix, the return this term is zero. The team is lying fifth in the constructors’ standings with a best finish of fifth – this recorded at the second event of the year in Saudi Arabia.

“I think that would be too easy of an excuse,” said Krack when asked about the compromises of sharing a wind tunnel. “We have another team using the same wind tunnel with less time. So this is not an excuse.”

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Pressed as to whether it could be a factor in the performance deficit, he added: “That’s possible, but still, we are quite far behind that team. So it’s maybe a factor for them.

“It’s maybe a factor for us, but I think with the same tool, we could do better.”

Mercedes wind tunnel

Mercedes wind tunnel

Photo by: Mercedes AMG

The issue of a shared wind tunnel is not one that will affect Aston Martin long-term, however, with the team’s state-of-the-art tunnel expected to come online by 1 January, when aero testing is permitted to begin on the 2026 cars.

While a combination of the new wind tunnel and key technical hires, including that of Adrian Newey from Red Bull, is hoped to turn Aston Martin into a frontrunning team, Krack doubled down in his refusal to wholly blame the team’s current situation for its form.

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“If you are a team in the building process, it’s not only to put the wind tunnel there but also to have the technology and the methodology and the way you go about testing,” he explained. “The same is [true] for simulation.

“We were a customer team for many years and you have to build all these things in parallel, but if that is the choice you make, you should not use it as an excuse afterwards.

“You have that part [the wind tunnel] that has to be developed, but you also have a car to be developed and you must not use one to excuse the other.”



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Third F1 title my «only priority», wants Dakar return over Indy 500

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Fernando Alonso is much more likely to return to the Dakar Rally than the Indy 500 in the future, but insisted his «only priority» is to grab a third Formula 1 world championship with Aston Martin.

Alonso signed a new contract earlier this year that keeps him at Aston Martin’s F1 team until at least the 2026 season, including an ambassadorial deal that is set to keep him tied to the manufacturer beyond his grand prix driving days.

Aged 43, the Spaniard says he is still aspiring the win a third world championship before his time in the series is up, with his team having bolstered its technical ranks with Red Bull design legend Adrian Newey, Ferrari’s technical director Enrico Cardile and former Mercedes power unit chief Andy Cowell in recent months.

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He was also asked about the prospect of returning to Indianapolis to complete motor racing’s triple crown of winning the Indy 500, the Le Mans 24 Hours and F1’s Monaco Grand Prix, but poured cold water on a fourth appearance at IndyCar’s headline event.

«I attempted Indy 500 three times and didn’t succeed. It’s the only one missing [from the triple crown]. But at the moment, it’s not in my plan,» Alonso said at an event of Aston’s sponsor Cognizant.

«I’m very, very focused [on] Formula 1 now. For the next two or three years, I want to win the third world title. This is my first and only priority at the moment.

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, settles into the car

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, settles into the car

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

«After that, because I will be 45, 46, I think the commitment that it will require to go to the Indy 500, the amount of learning that I will have to redo again… it will be a little bit too much. Or it’s what I think now, I cannot say 100%.»

Rather than heading back to the Indianapolis oval, the two-time world champion said he was much more likely to have another shot at winning the Dakar Rally, which he feels would be a bigger statement of his versatility as a driver.

During his F1 sabbatical, Alonso finished 13th in the 2020 Dakar Rally with Toyota alongside five-time bikes winner Marc Coma, with a costly crash on the 10th stage costing him hours.

«I think my next biggest challenge will be the Dakar,» he explained. «If I can win Dakar, I think it will be hugely rewarding for me personally because I can win in Formula 1, I can win in endurance racing, win in Le Mans and Daytona, and if I can win in rally as well, it will mean a lot for me as a driver.

#310 Toyota Gazoo Racing: Fernando Alonso, Marc Coma

#310 Toyota Gazoo Racing: Fernando Alonso, Marc Coma

Photo by: A.S.O.

«You cannot drive a Formula 1 car the same way as a Le Mans car that has to do 24 hours to win the race, or the Dakar rally, where you have to go through the dunes and the gravel around Saudi. So, I had to learn and start from zero in many of those categories and surround myself with the best drivers in the world specifically on that series, and learn from them, and be humble.

«There is no problem to accept that I had no idea how to drive a rally car, but [was] day-by-day improving and learning from them until I was able to compete in the toughest rally in the world.»



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I could think about driving a Newey-designed Aston Martin

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Max Verstappen has refused to rule out an Adrian Newey reunion at Aston Martin in the future.

Design guru Newey was behind the Red Bull cars that delivered Verstappen’s three drivers’ championships, but his departure was confirmed earlier in the year and he has now signed for Aston.

He will take on the role of technical managing partner from next year, signing a deal worth a reported £ 30 million annually with the 65-year-old tasked with taking Aston Martin from also-rans to champions.

Verstappen clearly rued Newey’s impending exit when it was initially confirmed and now his next destination has been revealed, the Dutchman was asked about one day driving a Newey-designed car once again.

“I have other worries at the moment that I’m paying a lot of attention to and I’m working on that,” he replied when it was put to him that Aston boss Mike Krack had said the door would be open to Verstappen to join the Silverstone-based squad.

“That is something maybe for the future that I think about, not now.

“Adrian and I, we have a very good understanding. I sent him also a message after the news came out, even though, of course, I knew that it was coming. So I’m happy for him.

Adrian Newey, Aston Martin Formula One Team

Adrian Newey, Aston Martin Formula One Team

Photo by: Aston Martin Racing

“It’s a new challenge, of course, I always said I would have loved him to stay. But at one point you can’t overturn these things. So, then you’re just excited for people seeking new challenges.

“I also know that Lawrence (Stroll), of course, is pushing flat out to make it a success with Aston Martin, so it’s quite understandable, of course, that he wants to have Adrian on his side.”

The hook of working with a team headed up by Newey has proved enough to attract some of the best drivers across Formula 1 for the last three decades.

Verstappen believes that could still be the case from 2026, when the first telling input from Newey will be tested under the new regulations.

“Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, I’ve worked with him so I know how he is as a person, and also what he can do. I think everyone would like to work with Adrian, I guess in their career. So potentially yes,” he added.

Newey’s announcement was just one of the subjects up for discussion as the drivers arrived in Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, with McLaren’s introduction of team orders also a hot topic.

But, aside from offering his take on Newey’s new role, Verstappen was crystal clear that he was drowning out the noise in an attempt to get his ailing title bid back on track.

After struggling to a sixth-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix last time out, Verstappen once again bemoaned the lack of performance in his Red Bull and claimed their recent form meant defending both the drivers and constructors title had become an “unrealistic” ambition.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Now he is in Baku and swatted aside a lot of the questions posed by journalists looking to get the three-time champion’s take on the latest goings on in the paddock.

He cited “other worries” and how he must be “better myself” to a number of questions, including whether Mercedes and Ferrari emerging to take points off Norris and McLaren can help him in the title scrap.

He bemoaned his “own problems” when asked for his take on McLaren changing their Papaya Rules to back Norris as he looks to close the 62-point gap to Verstappen at the top of the standings.

“We still have a lot of work to do but I do think that in a way Monza is positive to learn more about the car, basically,” he said as he went on to open up on the recent issues plaguing Red Bull.

“Now it just takes time to make the car better, to understand our weaknesses, which I think we did. Now it’s about just trying to find solutions for it. I also noted that it’s not coming within one or two weeks, from when you understand your problems.

“But I hope that from now onwards we can just look ahead and try to be better — and not like in Monza.”



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