"I don't think so" - Fernando Alonso on Adrian Newey having an 'instant' impact on the 2025 F1 season

Fernando Alonso has recently touched upon whether Adrian Newey can have an 'instant' impact at Aston Martin when he joins the British team. The veteran aerodynamicist is all set to be a part of the squad in 2025.

The Adrian Newey saga has finally come to an end after the most successful F1 engineer decided to join Lawrence Stroll's team for a reported £150 million for five years. He will earn £30 million each year, which makes him one of the highest-earning individuals in the sport.

The 65-year-old is currently serving his Gardening leave and can only take up the matter with Stroll's team after the first half of the 2025 season.

In 2024, the British team has been struggling against the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes. They are currently placed in P5 in the Constructors' Championship and have a 218-point difference to Mercedes (P4) after 16 races.

Alonso, who is expected to stay with the team beyond 2026, thinks that it is unlikely that Newey will be able to reduce such a huge deficiency right on his first F1 season, and therefore, does not expect him to come with a magic wand and improve his and Lance Stroll's performance overnight.

Speaking about this, Alonso told Sky Sports when asked if Newey can have an 'instant' impact:

"I don't think so. We'd like to say yes, but honestly, I don't think so."

Alonso added:

"March 2025, I think the focus for most of the teams will be in the 2026 project and change of regulations."

Adrian Newey is the most successful F1 engineer in the history of the sport. He claimed 13 Drivers' Championships and 12 Constructors' Titles in his three decades of stay in Formula 1.

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Adrian Newey reveals why he chose to work with Fernando Alonso and Lawrence Stroll

Adrian Newey chose Aston Martin after declining offers from Ferrari, Alpine, Williams, and Audi. The celebrated aerodynamicist had no shortage of options, but a Stroll senior provided him with an offer he could not refuse.

Speaking about this, he said (via F1):

"I was honored enough to be approached by various teams, but in the end, Lawrence’s passion and enthusiasm and commitment, the offer of partnership and shareholding, it just became very clear and obvious."

With Newey in the team, and Fernando Alonso spearheading Aston Martin's attack, it will be interesting to see how Lawrence Stroll's team performs from 2025 onwards.