Aston Martin has made a blockbuster signing by securing the Aero genius Adrian Newey following his departure from Red Bull. However, they must wait until March 2025 for Newey’s input. This delay is due to his contractual obligations with Red Bull. Known for his Midas touch wherever he goes, there’s no doubt Newey will bring the same influence to Aston Martin, especially in 2026 where his influence will really matter.
However, the current Aston Martin team faces immediate challenges that require the team’s attention. Team principal Mike Krack is adamant that the squad won’t be twiddling their thumbs while waiting for Newey’s arrival. Instead, they are determined to turn their season around.
Speaking in Singapore, Krack shared that balancing the excitement surrounding Newey’s upcoming arrival with the challenges of the current season has been “very hard.” Despite their current struggles, he believes they can turn this period into a valuable opportunity. He said:
“I think we should also use ’25 as an opportunity to show Adrian what we can do. I think that should serve as a motivation for all of us.”
While Newey’s presence is eagerly awaited, Krack recognizes the risk of team members becoming complacent. He emphasized, “If I identify that one, it will not be for long.” With Newey’s input restricted by his Red Bull contract, Krack is uncertain about their engagement with him and wary of potential legal pitfalls during this transition.
“I don’t know. I need to check with our legal department, I think you need to be very careful with these things. You know, we do not want to get into legal [matters] going forward. That would just not feel right,” he remarked.
As the season edges onto the final belt, the reality is that Aston Martin must not lose sight of their current goals. Krack has noted that the team’s target is to close the gap to the top four teams in the standings. He highlighted, “We are not where we want to be. Our target was clearly to close the gap to the top four teams.”
The season began promisingly for Aston Martin, with a couple of double-point finishes where they seemed to stand alongside Mercedes. Unfortunately, their momentum soon faltered, and the drivers have found it challenging to adapt to the AMR24, while Mercedes has celebrated three race wins this season. Krack remarked, “At the beginning of the season, we knew that we were around the fifth-fastest at the time, and the target was to close that gap.”
Aston Martin’s need to improve their performance is evident. “We have not managed that. Others have more caught up than we have closed. So that is the reality and that is something we have to understand and address,” he confirmed.
The Silverstone-based outfit finds itself in a no man’s land in the constructor standings, sitting fifth. They appear too far behind the top four teams to close the gap, yet far enough ahead of those below to avoid being caught. At this stage of the season, every upgrade counts, as the current car will likely resemble the 2025 challenger and Krack and his team are determined to prove their worth to Newey before his arrival.
