Newey is highly praised, but this testimony from Stroll should indeed worry Aston Martin's rivals

That Adrian Newey is a living legend of Formula 1 cannot be denied, and his 26 world titles corroborate it. However, it is a fact that the 66-year-old British engineer is not infallible and needs a competitive team around him to guide them to victory.

But throughout his career in Formula 1, one constant has remained in his most successful periods: motivation. Adrian Newey is an engineer by vocation who thrives on challenge and difficulty. The more difficult and novel the regulations, the more likely he is to bring out the best in himself.

"He tries to anticipate what the drivers will encounter at certain moments of the lap, in qualifying compared to the race, and all that kind of stuff. He is very educational"

Lance Stroll, fascinated with Newey

And that is precisely what is happening between Newey and the new 2026 regulations. The former member of Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull — among others — has acknowledged on several occasions that he sees some gaps in the drafting of the regulations that will come into effect in a few months. But that does not mean he is not motivated and excited to face it.

That is one of the reasons why Newey decided to completely ignore the 2025 car, as he did not want distractions with the complex and challenging car of the coming year. And all of this has made his motivation soar.

"Like in a kind of trance. Adrian is completely focused on designing the car for next year at this moment," revealed Lance Stroll. "It is always a pleasure to listen to him and talk about the future. But right now, it is about building the machine for next year."

The Canadian Aston Martin driver admits his surprise at Adrian Newey's almost obsessive approach, who is 100% committed to the new regulations. "He is incredibly passionate and enthusiastic about the new rules. What is impressive is the passion, dedication, and commitment he puts into the new rules and the team."

"The simple fact of being in a new environment, in a new team, and how he is integrating everyone. He is creating a healthier culture throughout the factory, and it is really impressive to see it," adds Fernando Alonso's teammate.

Professor Adrian Newey

There is no doubt that a motivated Newey is formidable for Aston Martin's rivals. And not only because he is the best designer in Formula 1, but also because of the way he helps everyone who works around him grow.

"Yes, definitely," points out Fernando Alonso. "You spend more time with him and keep learning things, how he works and how he approaches things, the challenges, all those normal day-to-day things in Formula 1."

"He remains a very special person, and I think only a few people will fully understand him and know exactly what he thinks and what he does, so we will need more time. For now, we are in a learning phase, every conversation, every idea, everything he says," continues the two-time world champion.

"We take it very seriously, we listen and try to understand the approach he gives to that comment, and thanks to that, I think we are growing as a team. Without a doubt, he has been very special," reiterates Fernando Alonso.

The driver's best friend

One of Adrian Newey's strengths is that he is passionate about driving and, whenever he has the opportunity, competes at an amateur level. This allows him to put himself in the driver's shoes and understand that providing a manageable and competitive car in real conditions is even more important than meeting theoretical objectives.

"I think I do [understand him, Newey]. All the questions and ideas he raises, he explains why he thinks it will be a good solution for the team, for the car, and also for the drivers, in terms of how to approach corner entry, perhaps next year will be very different from this year's cars," points out Fernando Alonso.

"The top speed will be different next year, the tires will be different next year, so he [Newey] tries to anticipate what the drivers will encounter at certain moments of the lap, in qualifying compared to the race, and all that kind of stuff. As I said, he is very educational," concludes the Asturian driver.

Fuente: Motorsport-total.comFotos: Aston Martin F1