Aston Martin will give Adrian Newey the role of team principal next year. The team has started a major reshuffle. As part of this move, Andy Cowell will leave his current position as team principal and chief executive officer. He took the job just thirteen months ago.
Newey joined Aston Martin in March after his exit from Red Bull last year. He now works as the managing technical partner. His contract runs for five years. It allows him to earn up to £30 million a year with bonuses and add-ons.
Cowell will now become the chief strategy officer. He will focus on the team’s engine partnership with Honda and on fuel suppliers. Aston Martin said this change will help both Newey and Cowell work on their main strengths. The team wants a smoother structure and clearer roles.
Insiders said the shift followed disagreements between the two. They had different views on how to run the team and how to design the 2026 car. The team believes Newey’s huge experience makes him the natural leader. He has won twelve drivers’ titles and thirteen constructors’ titles with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. For Aston Martin, giving him full authority feels like the right step.
Newey will guide the full technical team. He will also oversee trackside operations. He becomes Aston Martin’s fourth team principal in four years. Otmar Szafnauer, Mike Krack and Cowell came before him.
Team owner Lawrence Stroll praised Cowell. He said Cowell helped build a strong culture and kept the race car at the centre of team work. Stroll said the decision was mutual. He also said the team is happy to keep Cowell in his new role.
Stroll added that Newey’s new job will help him use his creative and technical skills to the fullest.
Newey said he has seen great talent inside the team during the past nine months. He said he is ready for the extra responsibility. He wants the team to be in the best shape for 2026. Aston Martin will then be a full works team. The new rules will also bring a big challenge. He said Cowell’s focus on power-unit integration will be important.
Stroll had been considering a leadership change for some time. He spoke with a number of senior Formula 1 figures. The list included Andreas Seidl, Mattia Binotto and Martin Whitmarsh. Christian Horner also tried to join Aston Martin and asked for a share in the team. But sources said the team has no plans to give him a role.
Even so, Newey gave Horner a quiet tour of the factory on Tuesday night. The team did not comment on the visit.
Aston Martin said Cowell has already made key structural changes. These steps will help the team prepare for its full works entry in 2026. Cowell said he has set the foundations and feels this is the right time to take on a different role.
