F1
Aston Martin confirm 2026 leadership restructure with Adrian Newey to combine his existing managing technical partner role with team principal responsibilities; Andy Cowell, who joined in 2024 after great engine success at Mercedes, to take on newly-created chief strategy officer role
Wednesday 26 November 2025 17:41, UK
Adrian Newey will become Aston Martin’s team principal from the 2026 Formula 1 season with Andy Cowell taking on a new role at the outfit.
Newey will combine the job with the managing technical partner role he has held since joining the team in March after 20 years at Red Bull.
It will be the first time that the 66-year-old Newey, F1’s most legendary and successful car designer, has held the role of team principal since his career in the sport began in the 1980s.
Cowell, who took over the team boss role from Mike Krack at the start of this year, will take on the new role of chief strategy officer ahead of the first season of Aston Martin’s engine partnership with Honda.
Former Mercedes engine guru Cowell first joined Aston Martin in 2024 as chief executive officer before adding responsibility for day-to-day control of the team ahead of this season too.
“Over the last nine months, I have seen great individual talent within our team,” said Newey.
“I’m looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where we will face an entirely new position with Aston Martin now a works team combined with the considerable challenge faced by the new regulations.
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“Andy’s new role, focusing on the integration of the new PU with our three key partners, will be pivotal in this journey.”
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Cowell said: “Having implemented much needed structural changes as we transition to a full works team and set the foundations for Adrian and the wider organisation, it is an appropriate time for me to take a different role as chief strategy officer.
“In this role, I will help to optimise the technical partnership between the Team, Honda, Aramco and Valvoline and to ensure the seamless integration of the Team’s new PU, fuel and chassis.”
More to follow…
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