“I even contacted him myself”: Fernando Alonso reveals level of excitement with Adrian Newey’s Aston Martin move

Fernando Alonso admitted to contacting Adrian Newey before Aston Martin secured the British engineer. The Spanish driver was eager for Newey to join his team after the 65-year-old departed from Red Bull Racing.

Alonso, a double world champion, had lost four consecutive titles to Newey-designed cars between 2010 and 2013. After Newey announced his departure from Red Bull, the Spaniard revealed that he texted him about the possibility of working together. He also regularly inquired about Newey's availability with team owner Lawrence Stroll and CEO Martin Whitmarsh.

The 42-year-old driver noted that Stroll kept him updated throughout the negotiations. Adrian Newey is set to join Aston Martin as a Managing Technical Partner and shareholder, starting in the 2025 season.

Speaking on the Aston Martin F1 team website, Fernando Alonso said:

“I was hoping Adrian would join when he decided to stop with his previous team. To start with, you dream that it can be a possibility. There were a couple of rumours that he was joining different teams and I was asking Lawrence, I was asking Martin Whitmarsh, I was asking various people in the team if we had contacted Adrian.”

Alonso also said that he himself spoke to Newey on the phone regarding the prospect of working together. The Spaniard said that he was "extremely happy and extremely proud" when he found out the 65-year-old decided to join Aston Martin.

“I even ended up contacting him myself. I have his phone number and texted him: ‘What a surprise. If you ever think you would like a new challenge, I would love to work with you one day.’ And I then found out that Adrian and Lawrence were in contact. Lawrence kept me up to date on negotiations. When Adrian decided to join, I was extremely happy but also extremely proud – proud that he wanted to work with us and that he believed in our project," Alonso said.

Fernando Alonso hails Lawrence Stroll for signing Adrian Newey to Aston Martin

The Spaniard is of the opinion that Aston Martin's signing of Adrian Newey is a testament to Lawrence Stroll’s passion for motorsport. He has stated that the recruitment of the 65-year-old reflects the Canadian billionaire’s vision for the team and his ability to execute it. Alonso admitted that he was inspired by Stroll’s determination and commitment to delivering results, which have driven the team forward.

Fernando Alonso acknowledged that he has thought about the future, saying they would decide together with Adrian Newey and Lawrence Stroll at the end of 2026 if he would continue. He called it an incredible opportunity to drive one of Newey’s cars and a rewarding experience to learn from someone of his caliber.

Praising Stroll for signing Newey, Fernando Alonso said:

“It also shows what Lawrence can do – only Lawrence can do certain things. There is no limit to his passion for motorsport and his vision for Aston Martin Aramco. I’ve never seen anything like it – someone so determined, so passionate. He’s an inspiration to all of us in the team. It’s a privilege to work with him.”

On the excitement of working with Newey, Fernando Alonso said:

“I would be lying if I said I didn't think about that. Adrian will arrive in March next year and dedicate his time to 2026 so let's see how I feel at the end of '26 and if I can keep going: it will be a decision that we make together as a team, with Lawrence [Stroll], with Adrian. For me, it's an incredible opportunity because driving one of Adrian's F1 cars is something very special, but also because when you work with people of Adrian's calibre there is so much that you can learn from them. It's hugely rewarding.”

Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin is part of a series of high-profile signings, including Ferrari’s chief aerodynamicist Enrico Cardile. Additionally, former Red Bull Racing aerodynamicist Dan Fallows, who currently serves as Aston Martin’s technical director, will reunite with the legendary car designer. Along with these senior technical recruits, the Silverstone-based team has invested in building its wind tunnel and upgrading its facilities.

These developments position Aston Martin as a team of the future. Despite the ongoing changes, they currently sit fifth in the constructors’ standings with a total of 85 points.

Fernando Alonso himself is currently ninth in the driver standings with 62 points to his name. The Spaniard's best performance was finishing fifth at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. His teammate Lance Stroll is currently 11th in the standings with 24 points, with his best finish being sixth at the Australian Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso came eighth at the most recent race in Singapore while Lance Stroll finished 14th.