Aston Martin announce major Adrian Newey news at F1 Monaco Grand Prix

Newey in Monaco with Aston Martin — Photo: © IMAGO

Monaco Grand Prix

Aston Martin announce major Adrian Newey news at Monaco Grand Prix

Newey will return to the paddock this weekend in Monaco

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 4 June 2026 21:45 Updated: 22:23

Aston Martin have confirmed Adrian Newey will return to the paddock for the Monaco Grand Prix.

The legendary designer hasn't been in the paddock since the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in early March, where it first became apparent how deep Aston Martin's issues ran.

Without having raced a single lap in 2026, Newey revealed how Honda had undelivered with the engine and expressed concerns that neither Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll would be able to finish a race.

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This was because the vibrations from the Honda engine were at risk of causing permanent nerve damage, and Newey's fears soon proved to be correct when neither driver finished the the season opener at Albert Park.

Newey hasn't been in a public facing role since, but Aston Martin's chief trackside officer Mike Krack revealed he will return this weekend in Monaco.

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Newey will be in Monaco

Speaking to the media in Monaco, Krack revealed about Newey: "We'll see him this weekend. He's good because he has a lot of experience here and has won a lot. It's a place where he can help us with his advice."

On Aston Martin's recent performance, he added: "We're not going to put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. But we've taken steps forward, and in Canada we reached Q2 [the sprint] with one attempt. There's progress, although the competition from the rest is fierce. And there won't be many changes to the car, so reaching Q2 will be a success."

Honda chief Shintaro Orihara also added: "We're focusing on optimising energy management from the driver's pedal position. It needs to be properly optimised here.

"We identified positive aspects in Canada and found room for improvement. We want to improve the precision of the torque delivery.

"We discovered something new, yes. But perhaps it's a standard procedure in torque management that helps us with driving."

Krack reveals more on Alonso seat issues

Last time out in Canada, Alonso was retired from the race, not because of the vibrations, but because of the pain from his seating position in the cockpit.

Krack concluded: "We've been working with him since Tuesday morning; he lives right next door.

"We tried several things, but the driving will be the real test. He's confident he's found an improvement, although it wouldn't be surprising if we finalise the adjustments during the sessions. It's not just one change; there's a whole set of adjustments that are complicated if you're not driving."

F1 Aston Martin Adrian Newey Monaco Grand Prix