Legendary Red Bull tech chief inks mega $295m deal with Aston Martin

Formula 1 megastar Adrian Newey has put pen to paper on a gargantuan deal that will see him join a rival garage in 2025.

Red Bull Racing's technical chief Adrian Newey arrives in the pits of the Circuit de Monaco before the second practice session of the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on May 24, 2024, two days ahead of the race. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

Legendary technical chief Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin on a blockbuster new deal starting next March.

Newey, widely regarded as one of the greatest designers in Formula 1 history, will become Aston Martin’s managing technical partner as well as taking a shareholding in the team, which is spearheaded by billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll.

Every qualifying session and race from the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

The BBC has reported the deal is worth a staggering $295 million, with the 65-year-old entitled to up to £30 million ($59 million) per season over five years.

“I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with,” Newey said. “Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team.

“He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport. His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new (Aston Martin factory) and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in.

“Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship winning team, and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal.”

Adrian Newey is off to Aston Martin. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP)

The Englishman has been at the helm of Red Bull Racing’s design office since 2006 but announced earlier this year that he would be quitting the team.

His departure followed RBR’s tumultuous start to the campaign, which was overshadowed by accusations of improper behaviour against Christian Horner which blew up into a public feud between key players in the team.

A quiet bidding war ensued to capture the design guru ahead of the sweeping regulations of 2026.

Ferrari emerged as an early frontrunner, having attempted to poach him and technical director Pierre Waché in previous years.

The Scuderia went cold, however, with reports out of Italy since suggesting management wasn’t prepared to engage in a bidding war Newey’s services given the already massive starting price for his services.

McLaren, Mercedes and Williams were all linked to Newey, but Aston Martin quickly replaced Ferrari as top of the list thanks to a combination of the impressive investment into its facilities and its ability to meet his considerable personal terms.

With pen now put to paper, Newey becomes the statement acquisition of the Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin project alongside two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who signed a contract extension taking him to the end of 2026.

“This is huge news,” Stroll said. “Adrian is the best in the world at what he does.

“It’s the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula 1 team capable of fighting for world championships.

Newey with his new Aston Martin team. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images for Aston Martin)

“As soon as Adrian became available we knew we had to make it happen. Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Adrian is a racer and one of the most competitive people I have ever met. When he saw what we have built at Silverstone — our incredible AMR technology campus, the talented group of people we have assembled and the latest wind tunnel in the sport — he quickly understood what we are trying to achieve.

“We mean business — and so does he.

“Adrian shares our hunger and ambition, he believes in this project and he will help us write the next chapter.”

The deal will also see Newey reunited with Honda, whose motors have powered his cars to the last two constructors titles.

Newey’s Formula 1 career started with the March team in 1988, where he was elevated to technical director just two years later when the team rebranded as Leyton House.

But it was his move to Williams in 1991 that shot his name to engineering stardom, with his first championship double coming just one year into his tenure, in 1992. The team would go on to claim nine constructors and drivers titles with cars of Newey’s design.

He moved to McLaren in 1997 and by 1998 had again claimed a title double, with another drivers championship coming via Mika Häkkinen in 1999.

But his move to Red Bull Racing in 2006 was by far his most successful. Convinced to take a punt on the minnow with more of a reputation for partying than racing, by 2009 he’d turned RBR into a winner and by 2010 it won the first of six constructors titles and seven drivers championships.

Aston Martin is hoping for a similar bounce. The team is currently fifth in the constructors championship, but owner Stroll is hoping his significant investments in infrastructure and staff will pay significant dividends in the new rules era in 2026, work on which will be allowed to start on 1 January next year.

Originally published as Legendary Red Bull tech chief inks mega $295m deal with Aston Martin