Adrian Newey makes surprise F1 return at Monaco Grand Prix

Newey, copy right Aston Martin — Photo: © IMAGO

Adrian Newey

Adrian Newey makes surprise F1 return at Monaco Grand Prix

Adrian Newey plans to return to the F1 paddock

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 23 May 2025 11:56

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Adrian Newey has been confirmed to be attending the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix months after joining Aston Martin as their managing technical partner.

The 66-year-old has been noticeably absent from the F1 paddock since he announced his departure from Red Bull in 2024, with the legendary designer enjoying a period of gardening leave.

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Newey officially joined Aston Martin in March, but has not been spotted with the team trackside yet, with his attention instead fully on the development of the 2026 car.

During Newey’s first interview with his new F1 team, the designer confirmed what his responsibilities would entail in 2025 and also revealed that he would be attending his first race with the team at this weekend's Monaco GP.

"The deadlines we have in modern F1 seem to be far earlier than they used to be 20 years ago, and there are a lot of them coming up for the 2026 car, which is where my concentration has been, so I've not been at the track," Newey said.

"I plan to be in Monaco…with the notebook," the design guru revealed.

Newey back on track as Aston Martin flail

Newey’s trackside return coincides with a miserable outing for the team last weekend at the Emilia-Romagna GP, where Aston Martin’s upgrades failed to propel them into a points-paying position.

The team originally beat both Ferraris and home hero Kimi Antonelli to secure a spot in Q3 on Saturday, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll starting fifth and eighth respectively.

However, both drivers finished outside of the top 10 on Sunday, with a late safety car scuppering their chances at a points finish - which would have also been Alonso’s first points of the year.

The Spaniard has frequently bemoaned Aston Martin’s pace problems over team radio and in post-race interviews, his discontent palpable as they find themselves battling down towards the bottom of the grid.

Rather than a reaction to a difficult weekend in Imola, Newey's appearance in Monaco was pre-scheduled, but nevertheless, his presence trackside could serve as a great comfort to a team that have been left scratching their heads so far in 2025.

Looking good in green, Adrian. ?

Adrian Newey arriving at the #MonacoGP for his first race weekend trackside with Aston Martin Aramco. pic.twitter.com/kppgJQ5vK4
— Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) May 22, 2025