Adrian Newey’s partnership with Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has reportedly hit a rough patch, as the team continues to underperform early in the season.
Expectations were high when Newey arrived, with many predicting he would help push Aston Martin back toward the front of the grid.
However, those hopes have not materialised so far. The AMR26 has been plagued by issues from the start, and Aston Martin have struggled to keep pace with the leading teams. Both drivers have complained about severe vibrations from the Honda power unit, though there were reports during the Miami Grand Prix that some progress had been made on that front.
His position within the organisation remains solid for now, but recent reports suggest tension is growing between him and Stroll as frustrations mount over their lack of progress.
Adrian Newey’s relationship with Lawrence Stroll reaches ‘low point’
Mark Grain, a former McLaren employee, recently shared on the Two Mechanics podcast that things between Adrian Newey and Lawrence Stroll have hit a rough patch. Despite the issues, Grain still expects Aston Martin to turn things around.
He added: “I understand that the relationship at Aston Martin isn’t great at the moment. And Adrian’s relationship with Lawrence isn’t great either.
“So, of course, health first, hopefully he’s on the mend, but yeah, I believe that the relationship between him and Lawrence is at a pretty low point right now.
“I still think that team is very strong, and it’s not about one man. I think they will bounce back. They’re making progress with Honda; it’s just tough times for that Silverstone-based team.”
Fernando Alonso to decide F1 future amid Aston Martin’s ongoing struggles
As the season has unfolded, Aston Martin’s poor results have brought more attention to Fernando Alonso’s plans beyond 2026.
The two-time world champion, who is set to turn 45 this year, has said he’ll take some time over the summer break before making any decisions.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Alonso explained: “Sometime in the summer, I need to make a decision. At the moment I didn’t sit with myself to think about that.
“I never thought about it in a deep way and I need to speak with my family as well. I need to speak with my people first and decide what to do next year.
“I’m very relaxed about it. If I continue racing, I think it will be a better season than this one with the project in year two. If I stop racing, I know that I will race in other series.”
Aston Martin managed to get both cars across the line in Miami and will be hoping for another step forward when Formula 1 heads to Canada next weekend.
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