Aston Martin Chairman Lawrence Stroll was rumored to have expressed interest in acquiring the services of Adrian Newey for the team based in Silverstone.
Lawrence Stroll, the Chairman of Aston Martin, is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished designers in the history of Formula 1. With a tenure of almost two decades at Red Bull, the 65-year-old has attracted attention from rival teams, including Aston Martin. The Team Principal of Aston Martin has now addressed these speculations.
There were reports suggesting that Lawrence Stroll had presented a lucrative contract offer to Adrian Newey. The renowned aerodynamics expert at Red Bull was allegedly contemplating a departure from Milton Keynes due to increasing tensions. When asked about this, the Team Principal firmly denied the rumors.
In response to the rumors, the Team Principal highlighted the strong technical team at Aston Martin, which includes former Red Bull aerodynamics head, Fallows. Additionally, the recent addition of legendary Alpine designer, Bob Bell, to the Silverstone-based team was mentioned. The Team Principal emphasized that the British team is content with its current technical setup.
Aston Martin made significant strides during the winter break ahead of the 2023 F1 season. In the first half of the year, they emerged as the best-of-the-rest behind teams like and . Critics have alleged that the Silverstone-based squad has replicated Red Bull’s designs with the assistance of former Red Bull engineers, including Fallows.
The Team Principal, Mike Krack, pointed out that with relatively stable regulations year after year, there is a tendency for convergence in terms of car development. He claimed that the entire grid is gradually adopting a similar philosophy to that of Adrian Newey and Red Bull. Therefore, he made it clear that there is nothing distinct about the approach at Silverstone.
Since the beginning of the previous season, Aston Martin has fallen behind teams like Ferrari and McLaren. Currently occupying the fifth position in the standings, they trail Mercedes by just one point. However, the British team would need significant upgrades during the season to potentially challenge for race victories this year.