Fernando Alonso defends Adrian Newey’s decision to skip AMR25 talks, trusting his focus on Aston Martin’s full reset for 2026.
Alonso isn’t losing confidence about the future, especially not when it comes to 2026.
The Aston Martin F1 driver has high expectations for Adrian Newey’s first car with the team, set to debut under the new regulations. Newey officially joined the team in early March, two months after those rules were released, a late arrival that meant catching up fast and getting familiar with a new working environment.
That’s exactly why Alonso understands Newey’s decision to step back from any involvement with this year’s car, the AMR25.
“I think he probably wishes he’d joined the team a year earlier, so he could start the 2026 project in a more relaxed way,” Alonso said during the Miami Grand Prix weekend. “Even for 2026, he feels he’s come in late. So I completely understand why he’s focusing only on next year’s car. He didn’t design this one. He had nothing to do with it, so it’s not really his job to fix it.”
Alonso recently found time between the Jeddah and Miami races to sit down with Newey over lunch at the factory, a meeting that many saw as crucial. Did it boost his confidence?
“Not really, because I never lost faith to begin with,” Alonso said. “I’m not too worried about next year. What we’re seeing now is just a continuation of problems we’ve had for the past two seasons. We haven’t been able to solve them yet.”
“But for 2026, it’s a whole new start. With the new rules and Adrian’s arrival, nothing from this year’s car will carry over. It’s a complete reset, so I’m not too concerned.”
Alonso added that the team now has a better understanding of its weaknesses — and the gap to the top contenders. With experienced talent joining from title-challenging teams, he’s confident they know what it takes to build a winning car.
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Alonso Understands Newey’s Decision to Skip Work on AMR25 Alonso Understands Newey’s Decision to Skip Work on AMR25
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