Adrian Newey lining up dream F1 Aston Martin takeover with Max Verstappen poach the end goal

An edited image of Adrian Newey smiling flanked by Jonathan Wheatley and Max Verstappen in Red Bull uniform — Photo: © IMAGO

Aston Martin

Adrian Newey lining up dream Aston Martin takeover with Max Verstappen poach the end goal

Adrian Newey is said to be searching for his own replacement at Aston Martin

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 21 March 2026 17:56

Aston Martin technical chief Adrian Newey appears to be laying the groundwork for a reunion with some of the best talent on the F1 grid, and it could all be to improve the team's chances of poaching Max Verstappen from Red Bull.

The renowned British engineer joined Red Bull early on in their tenure as an F1 squad, but famously formed a dream team at the energy drink giants with Verstappen when the Dutch protege was promoted from Red Bull's junior squad (known as Toro Rosso at the time) in 2016.

Verstappen was just 18 years and seven months old when he was plucked from the junior squad to replace a struggling Daniil Kvyat, but he sure did make a splash by winning on debut and taking the record for the youngest grand prix winner in the history of the sport. A record that still stands today.

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The 2016 Spanish GP also marked the first time Verstappen drove a Newey-designed F1 car, kickstarting a successful history between the pair that led to the Red Bull star picking up four consecutive drivers' titles between 2021 and 2024.

Newey departed Red Bull in pursuit of a new challenge at Aston Martin, and boy has he found a serious challenge at the team who have so far failed to complete a full-length grand prix in 2026.

But perhaps he has already accepted the nightmare start to the new regulations cycle, and is instead making a long-term play to get Verstappen back on side by reuniting the old Red Bull dream team?

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Newey assessing ex-Red Bull talents as Aston Martin seek team principal replacement

When Newey's blockbuster Aston Martin signing was first announced back in 2024, his role was stated as managing technical partner, with the entire reason for him joining Lawrence Stroll's F1 team being that they wanted the best chance of hitting the ground running with the new regulations.

But whilst Stroll and Newey were targeting race wins and eventually a championship challenge, Aston Martin's start to the new rules cycle has seen them at times fall behind even Cadillac, who are an entirely new outfit.

Aston Martin's most prevalent problem in F1 this year has been their new Honda power unit, which drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both believe is putting them at risk of suffering permanent nerve damage.

But Newey also has a lot on his plate where the chassis is concerned, something which isn't helped by the fact that last year, Aston Martin decided to make him juggle his technical responsibilities with the role of team principal.

And now, just two race weekends into the 2026 championship, reports have circulated that Newey has been asked to pick his own replacement, with former Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley believed to be in the frame to take over.

Newey and Wheatley previously worked well together at Red Bull with the Brit playing a key role in the team's success as sporting director.

Audi announced on Friday that Wheatley would be leaving his role of team principal for 'personal reasons', with Aston Martin also releasing a statement from Lawrence Stroll confirming Newey's place within the team.

But the statement still left room for a new team principal to replace Newey in future, and if the reports of Wheatley's move to Aston Martin are confirmed, this might just make the team a more attractive option to Verstappen in the coming years.

But could a Red Bull 2.0 really be on the cards in F1?

Would Verstappen make Aston Martin F1 switch?

Let's be honest, probably not.

Even after the recent developments surrounding Aston Martin's leadership reshuffle, the answer to this question mostly remains the same as when rumours of a Verstappen Red Bull exit were floated last season.

Whether it's Aston Martin or Mercedes that are trying to poach the Dutchman, he has maintained time-and-time again that loyalty is something he values highly, and he would surely not want to spoil his F1 legacy at Red Bull by abandoning them for another squad.

What is more likely is a retirement from F1 altogether, or even a sabbatical given Verstappen's dislike of the new cars which he said 'emotionally drained' him to drive.

But if anyone could tempt the 28-year-old with a move away from Red Bull to give the new regulations another chance, it would surely be Newey and Wheatley, the pair who saw him pick up four back-to-back titles in the glory years of his F1 career.

Written by

Kerry Violet - F1 News Editor

Having graduated from the University of Sheffield with a 2:1 in Journalism in 2022, Kerry continued her pursuit of finding a full-time position in motorsport through work with the F1 Arcade in London, where she got to meet true fans of the sport and make a live grand prix watch party memorable for them. It was here that she confirmed her dream of combining her background in journalism and love of motorsport, going on to volunteer with the female-led platform Empoword Journalism. Having completed stints as a screen editor and sports editor, Kerry landed her first F1-specific editorial role with GPFans and has thoroughly enjoyed continuing to work closely with the sport ever since. The access GPFans offers Kerry has allowed her to interview big names such as Naomi Schiff and David Coulthard and given her experiences she could only have dreamt of as a young F1 fan.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Christian Horner Aston Martin Adrian Newey