De la Rosa: Newey is drawing talent to Aston Martin.

      "More individuals are expressing interest in joining our team."

      The 'Adrian Newey effect' is already being felt at Aston Martin, as stated by team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa. The former Formula 1 driver, from Spain, isn't referring to direct on-track performance, as Newey’s input on the 2025 car has been limited thus far. Instead, de la Rosa notes that skilled engineers are now increasingly interested in joining the Silverstone team.

      "The transformation is significant," he shared with Soy Motor. "After the announcement of Newey's arrival, there has been a noticeable shift. More people are eager to work at Aston Martin, not only from other teams but particularly from universities.

      "This is something that many did not anticipate, but it is happening because young engineers aspire to work alongside experts to accelerate their learning. It’s an aspect that can often go unnoticed, as we typically regard Adrian Newey as the architect of winning cars. However, the new generation of engineers who wish to collaborate with him is equally vital, as they represent the future of Aston Martin.

      "At times we concentrate on the well-known figures, but teams succeed thanks to a combination of factors - the prominent names and also the lesser-known contributors who will eventually step into those roles."

      In an interesting development, 54-year-old de la Rosa mentioned that although Honda still provides engines to Red Bull, the Japanese company is already collaborating with Aston Martin on the 2026 project. "We engage with Honda on a daily basis," the Spaniard stated. "Luca Furbatto, our design lead, collaborates with Honda every day. For the first time, we've designed our own gearbox, and it must be perfectly aligned with the engine.

      "The flow of information between Aston Martin and Honda happens every day, with many of our engineers visiting Honda and vice versa. At this point, it’s hard to distinguish who is from Aston Martin and who is from Honda, as we are operating as a unified team."

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who, according to Germany’s Sport1, has frustrated Red Bull with his latest comments, believes that the opposite effect to what de la Rosa described is taking place among the reigning champions. "The reality is that it's not just key employees who have departed Red Bull due to (Christian) Horner," he told Sky Deutschland. "There are also talented engineers who are hesitant to join Red Bull while Horner remains in charge.

      "Max Verstappen should consider this when it comes to his future," Schumacher added.