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Adrian Newey's manager Eddie Jordan this week opened up on two key factors that helped Aston Martin trump Ferrari and other suitors to the ace designer's signature. According to the former F1 team owner, the availability of an exclusive power unit supplier, coupled with the presence of Andy Cowell, worked in the Silverstone-based squad's favor.
Newey shocked everyone in F1 when he announced that he was leaving Red Bull after a partnership that lasted almost two decades. Once the departure became official, it appeared that Ferrari was the frontrunner to acquire the services of the ace designer.
It was thus a bit of a surprise when the Italian marque brand was trumped by Aston Martin as Lawrence Stroll was able to entice Newey to the team. Talking about the designer's decision to go to the Silverstone-based squad, Jordan said that the presence of Cowell, the man who handled Mercedes HPP, the branch of the German squad that built the dominant V6 Turbo hybrids was also important.
Cowell was the first man that Christian Horner wanted when the Red Bull Powertrains were being built but Cowell declined. The former Mercedes man would be the CEO of the Aston Martin racing operation.
Talking on the "Formula for Success" podcast, Jordan said (via planetF1.com),
“I think Honda being a partner from ’26 will be important to Adrian, because he believes to have a strategic manufacturer online is crucially important. To have Andy Cowell there, who we know – what a brilliant man."
"And he was the man behind all of those successes at Mercedes, [a] genius, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed that he’s obviously now in the fold with them. With Honda and with Adrian and with the people that he will get together, I have no doubt that it’s good."
Adrian Newey's manager on whether Aston Martin can win championships
Answering an interesting question regarding the future of Aston Martin, Eddie Jordan was non-committal about expecting the team to win titles. He did, however, feel that the overall combination that is being worked on and the fact that Adrian Newey is involved in a capacity greater than just an employee is going to make the whole operation formidable. He said,
“It’s going to shake it up a bit, because other teams will [be] going to have to get up off their hind legs and tackle. Do I think that they can win a world championship? There’s a lot of questions to be answered there. There’s all sorts of things about people, about drivers, but do I think that people will be attracted to Aston Martin because Adrian Newey’s there? Beyond any doubt.
“So from that point of view, strategically, when I hear that Lawrence [Stroll] said ‘bargain cheap’ and words like that, I don’t think he was belittling Adrian. I think what he was doing was saying that he has this vision, and it’s a passionate vision of which Adrian is a major part to it. And it’s not just the pencil drawing on the line, it’s Adrian Newey in a different capacity. Hence, he’s a shareholder."
Newey joins the squad next year in March and will instantly begin work on the 2026 car for the new regulations.
