Top Adrian Newey Priority Emerges as ‘Low’ Aston Martin Expectations Surface

Adrian Newey’s long-awaited move to Aston Martin is finally happening, but is the F1 mastermind being set up for failure before he even steps foot in the garage? The former Red Bull design guru, heralded as the greatest engineering mind in the sport’s history, will officially begin his new role as Managing Technical Partner for Aston Martin on March 3, 2025. However, despite his legendary status, the Silverstone-based team appears to be bracing for an underwhelming season.

Former F1 driver Roberto Merhi has gone as far as to say that Aston Martin is merely “waiting for Newey to put out the fires.” And let’s be honest – there seem to be quite a few blazes raging behind the scenes.

Aston Martin’s Rollercoaster Journey

Aston Martin’s 2023 season was something of a fairy tale – at least in its first act. Fernando Alonso thrilled fans with eight podium finishes, including an astonishing six-race streak at the start of the year. It seemed like the team was finally poised to challenge the big three – Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari.

But the dream didn’t last. The team’s momentum fizzled out, and by the end of 2024, they found themselves in a distant fifth place, sandwiched between Mercedes (fourth) and Alpine (sixth). Not exactly the world-beaters they had hoped to become.

And now, as the 2025 season looms, it seems Aston Martin isn’t expecting fireworks. Instead, they are taking a cautious, almost defeatist approach, treating the season as a transitional year ahead of F1’s massive regulation changes in 2026.

Newey’s First Task: A Firefighter or a Miracle Worker?

If Merhi’s claim is anything to go by, Newey’s arrival won’t be about chasing podiums or championships in 2025 – it will be about damage control.

“From what I understand, Aston is not going to get off to a very good start,” Merhi told COPE. “They are waiting for Newey to put out the fires. We have to wait a bit.”

Aston Martin simulator driver Daniel Juncadella echoed this sentiment, admitting that expectations for 2025 are “low” – a stark contrast to the buzz that Newey’s arrival initially generated.

But does this mean the team is writing off 2025 entirely? Not quite. Juncadella insists that 2025 still holds importance, even if it is just a stepping stone to 2026.

“It’s not like we will throw a year away, because it’s important that it’s a competitive year,” he said. “But it’s also a year to gather all of the information possible for next year, where the expectations are very high.”

The Honda Question: Can They Deliver?

Newey won’t just be worrying about aerodynamics and car design – he’ll also have to factor in Aston Martin’s future engine supplier, Honda, which will power the team starting in 2026.

Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe recently raised eyebrows by admitting that the Japanese manufacturer is “struggling” with F1’s upcoming 2026 engine regulations. And by struggling, he means really struggling.

“Everything is new,” Watanabe said. “The motor is a new 355-kW, very compact one we need. Also, the lightweight battery – it’s not so easy to develop. And also the small engine with the big power. Everything is very difficult, but we try our best.”

Not exactly the confidence boost Aston Martin fans were hoping for.

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Honda’s on-again, off-again relationship with F1 might come back to haunt them.

“They disbanded their project and then restarted it again. They may well have lost a little bit of time through that,” Horner remarked. “But they’re a very capable company and they’ve got great strength. I am sure they’ll have a competitive power unit come 2026.”

The 2025 Reality Check: Where Will Aston Martin Stand?

Let’s be brutally honest here: Aston Martin fans hoping for a Red Bull-style domination in 2025 should temper their expectations – significantly. The team’s own drivers and insiders have already admitted that their focus is on 2026, meaning they might not bring the aggressive developments necessary to challenge at the front in 2025.

So, where does that leave them?

According to Merhi, Aston Martin should still be ahead of midfield teams like Williams, Sauber, Haas, and Red Bull’s junior outfit, VCARB. But fighting for wins or podiums? Unlikely. Instead, the real battle might be against themselves – staying motivated and collecting crucial data while waiting for Newey’s magic to take full effect in 2026.

Alonso’s Role: Can He Still Make the Difference?

Let’s not forget the Fernando Alonso factor. The two-time world champion has a habit of extracting performances that no one else can. Even if the AMR25 isn’t a front-runner, Alonso’s talent could be enough to pull off a few surprise results.

“Everyone is already very close, and I hope that this is the trend, because when the drivers are close, Fernando can make the difference,” Juncadella said. “So I am confident that we could also have some surprises.”

Conclusion: 2025 – A Necessary Struggle for a Brighter Future?

So, is Adrian Newey’s first year at Aston Martin doomed to be an underwhelming slog? Perhaps. The signs certainly point to a tough season ahead, with the team itself admitting that expectations are “low.”

But does that mean Newey’s move is a mistake? Absolutely not. If anything, 2025 could serve as the perfect reset year – a season to lay the groundwork for a full-scale Aston Martin resurgence in 2026, when the new regulations come into play.

The real question is whether Aston Martin’s fans (and Alonso) have the patience to wait. Because if 2025 turns out to be nothing more than a long, painful transition year, there might be more than just “fires” for Newey to put out – he might have to extinguish a full-blown crisis.

Fasten your seatbelts, Aston Martin fans. This ride might be bumpier than expected.