F1 legend given incredible 'EIGHT MINUTE' standing ovation

Verstappen, Alonso and Hamilton celebrate on the podium with Adrian Newey — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 legend given incredible 'EIGHT MINUTE' standing ovation

Aston Martin have acquired an F1 legend for the 2025 season

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Friday 28 February 2025 22:56

A legend of Formula 1 has reportedly received an eight-minute standing ovation after a monumental move in the sport.

The pinnacle of motorsport returns for another championship campaign in two weeks at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16, with fans eagerly awaiting multiple competitive debuts.

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With only two teams on the grid choosing to retain their driver lineup from last season, many drivers will be stepping out in Albert Park for the first time to compete with their new outfit for 2025.

Lewis Hamilton shook up the driver market last year by announcing his move to Ferrari following 12 successful years at Mercedes and in doing so, triggered multiple driver swaps across the grid.

Other changes purely came down to performance issues, such was the problem at Red Bull, with Christian Horner and F1 advisor Helmut Marko replacing Sergio Perez after the 2024 season due to his drop in results.

Max Verstappen will be joined by new team-mate Liam Lawson in 2025

Red Bull will have to navigate the 2025 F1 season without the talent of Adrian Newey

Astounding Newey reception revealed at Aston Martin

Red Bull will hope their new pairing of star driver Max Verstappen and junior driver Liam Lawson will be enough to deliver constructors' championship success once again this season after a disappointing third-place finish last year.

In 2024, Red Bull suffered setback after setback when key team members such as Jonathan Wheatley and, vitally, Adrian Newey, announced their exit from the outfit.

The design legend had been instrumental in delivering championship-contending cars for Red Bull throughout their most successful tenure in the sport, but for 2025, Newey will be moving to Aston Martin.

Adrian Newey will officially join Aston Martin in March 2025

Discussing Newey's imminent move to Lawrence Stroll's outfit and his previous visit to the team's Silverstone base, F1 TV presenter Ruth Buscombe claimed during pre-season testing this week that Newey had received an astounding welcome.

Buscombe said: "A secret squirrel informed me that when he (Newey) was announced in the factory, he had an eight-minute standing ovation from all the engineers.

"And I said that level of inspiration, I’ve never worked for Newey, I know him and I got to work for a lovely man called Rory Byrne, and having a legendary designer does make you stay a little bit later on a Friday night, pushing."

"I would take a bullet for that man and when he actually became my friend I was so nervous the next day, I was like did I make a good impression and it was probably one of the best moments of my life."

Following Buscombe's comments, fellow pundit Jolyon Palmer questioned the length of the ovation, with Buscombe continuing to admit the applause had realistically only lasted for around a single minute instead.

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