Verstappen: Newey potentially makes Aston Martin a more attractive option

Max Verstappen says his Red Bull colleague Adrian Newey’s forthcoming move to Aston Martin could “potentially” make joining the rival squad a more attractive proposition.

Aston Martin announced on Tuesday that Newey will join in March 2025 as managing technical partner and a shareholder of the team. The legendary designer stepped away from his role as Red Bull’s chief technical officer in May but is seeing out his work on the company’s first hypercar.

Despite having a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, Verstappen has been heavily linked with a switch to Mercedes, but Aston Martin’s latest show of intent could make the Silverstone-based squad another viable option for the three-time world champion.

Asked whether Newey’s presence at a team makes it a more attractive option for a driver, Verstappen replied: “I don’t know. I’ve worked with him, so I know how he is as a person also, what he can do.

“I think everyone would like to work with Adrian, I guess, in their career.

“So yeah, potentially it is (a more attractive proposition), yeah.”

Speaking earlier on Thursday from the paddock at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack had said the door for Verstappen to join his team “is always open”.

Asked about Krack’s remarks, Verstappen refused to rule out a “future” move to Aston Martin but said for the moment he is focused on arresting Red Bull’s slump in form and attempting to hold onto his 62-point world championship lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris.

“I have other worries at the moment that I’m paying a lot of attention to and working on,” Verstappen said.

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

Hamilton: Newey won’t change Aston Martin overnight

Before choosing to join Aston Martin, Newey had been linked with a move to Ferrari to work alongside Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving Mercedes to join the Italian squad next season.

The seven-time world champion had previously expressed excitement at the possibility of working with Newey, but the Hamilton said on Thursday that he was “not disappointed” at the outcome.

“I feel like, while I mentioned before that it would be an honour to work with Adrian, I’ve been privileged to work with two championship-winning teams that didn’t have Adrian,” Hamilton said.

“I think probably any team would have been happy to have had him, but at the end of the day he had to do what was best for him.

“It doesn’t change anything for me or my goal or my focus with the next move. So I still believe 100 per cent that there’s lots that we can do.”

Newey is the latest in a series of a high-profile signings by Aston Martin, who have also brought in former Ferrari designer Enrico Cardile as chief technical officer and former Mercedes engine guru Andy Cowell as group chief executive.

The appointments, along with team owner Lawrence Stroll’s investment in a brand new factory and wind tunnel, have heightened expectations that Aston Martin will be a major player when new regulations are introduced to the sport in 2026.

Hamilton said: “He (Newey) has been part of many teams building championship-winning cars. Without doubt he will be a positive for that team. But you don’t just slot one person in and it changes overnight.

“There are a lot of changes that need to be made. There’s a huge amount of people in the background that make Red Bull what it is, Ferrari and Mercedes etc. It’s never down to one person. It’s a team effort.

“It will be interesting to see how the team evolves over the years.”

Alonso: Newey won’t influence 2025 Aston car

As the driver who will finally get to work with Newey at Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso is accepting Newey is unlikely to be able to make an impact before 2026 at the earliest.

Asked on Thursday whether Newey could influence Aston Martin’s 2025 car, Alonso said: “I don’t think so. I would like to say yes, but honestly, I don’t think so.

“March 2025, I think the focus for most of the teams will be 2026 projects and the change of regulations. You start in March, until you know everybody, and you take your place in the factories, it’s April or May.

“And I don’t think that it’s really worth spending too much in the 2025 campaign, unless you are fighting for the championship… I hope we have a nice surprise, but I doubt it. So I think the 2026 project should be the first car that he has an influence.”

Alonso also revealed his attempts to persuade Newey to join Aston Martin included a lengthy conversation at the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique in May.

“I texted him, for sure, like everybody did probably, that you know, wanted to work with him,” Alonso said.

“And yeah, I saw him also at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix that he was racing that week as well and we spent half an hour chatting as well.

“We all tried to persuade him. And I think ultimately, Lawrence’s vision, the new factory and what Aston Martin wants for the future, together with Honda as well, were probably key factors listening to what Adrian said (at his unveiling).”

Sky Sports F1’s live Azerbaijan GP schedule

Friday September 13
7.55am: F2 Practice
10am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts 10.30am)
11.55am: F2 Qualifying
1.45pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts 2pm)
3.15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday September 14
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts 9.30am)
11.10am: F2 Sprint
12.15pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1pm: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING*
3pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday September 15
8.30am: F2 Feature Race
10:30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
12pm: The AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 leaves mainland Europe for Baku and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Source : Sky Sports