F1 design legend Adrian Newey 'furious' about latest FIA ruling

Newey on the grid in Qatar — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Adrian Newey 'furious' about latest FIA ruling

Adrian Newey is Aston Martin's team principal

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 23 January 2026 21:13

F1 design legend Adrian Newey has reportedly been left furious at the FIA's ruling about a potential loophole in the new power unit regulations.

Newey joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner back in March 2025, and has already been promoted into a team principal role, an unusual position for the iconic car designer to find himself in.

During his previous spells with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, Newey-designed cars claimed 25 championships, and he is now hoping to turn Aston Martin into a championship-contending outfit.

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New 2026 regulations might just allow Aston Martin to challenge higher up the grid having finished seventh in last season's constructors' championship, but Newey has now reportedly been left 'furious' by an FIA ruling on an alleged 'trick' that has been found by Mercedes and Red Bull in the power unit regulations.

The alleged trick regards the geometric compression ratios, with it being reported that those two teams have found a way for the compression ratio to be at the allowed 16:1 when the engine is stationary, but then increase to the previously allowed 18:1 when moving, something that could allow an extra 15 brake horsepower.

However, it's now been decided following an FIA meeting that it is not a 'trick' at all, and that it is legal to have constructed a power unit in this way.

French publication L'Equipe have now reported that Newey is 'furious' about this ruling, with Honda understood to have not implemented this trick in their new power unit.

Can Aston Martin challenge for race wins in 2026?

With Newey, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and a new partnership with Honda from 2026, Aston Martin are looking in good shape.

Honda have recently left their partnership with Red Bull, which yielded two constructors' championships and four drivers' championships.

But Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe didn't sound particularly encouraging about the power unit that they've produced for 2026 at their engine launch event earlier this week, proclaiming that the new regulations are 'extremely challenging'.

While Aston Martin might struggle in 2026 once more, they will certainly be looking to 2027 and 2028 for their ambitions to become a championship-winning team.

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F1 FIA Aston Martin Adrian Newey 2026 regulations