Newey describes the radical 2026 regulations as "highly stimulating."

      Adrian Newey expresses that he finds the task of designing a car under the new, radical Formula 1 regulations to be "incredibly motivating." More than a year prior to Christian Horner losing his position at Red Bull, the 66-year-old Newey made the decision to leave the team mid-last season to join Aston Martin. He is currently focused on developing the 2026 car.

      "When we ask him a question about this year or how to make improvements, he just goes off to another office," Fernando Alonso remarked with a smile at Silverstone. "He’s already in 2026 mode."

      Regarded as one of the greatest F1 designers ever, Newey currently holds the title of the highest-paid designer. "I’m the last dinosaur in the industry still using a drawing board," the British designer mentioned at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, according to the Spanish media outlet DAZN. "For me, it’s simply a language—a way of transforming thoughts from here to a medium and evolving them from there."

      Many of Newey's most significant achievements in Formula 1, including multiple championships with Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull, came during critical regulatory transitions. As such, all attention will be on the newly designed, Honda-powered Aston Martin for 2026.

      "The new regulations present a significant challenge," Newey stated. "It’s the first instance where both the chassis and power unit regulations are changing simultaneously. Thus, all teams will be striving to comprehend how to optimally merge these changes."

      Earlier, Newey criticized the restrictive nature of modern F1 regulations for designers, especially regarding the 2026 regulations. However, his perspective has shifted. "I’m finding the regulatory changes very stimulating," said Newey. "There’s an opportunity for new ideas, which applies to everyone. So while I’m not claiming we’ll achieve anything extraordinary, it’s still incredibly motivating."