Newey expresses his regret over the difficulties and clarifies his role as a team principal.

      "We are optimistic that it will mark a significant advancement for us."

      Adrian Newey has expressed his apologies to Aston Martin’s partners and drivers as the team anticipates its long-awaited upgrade packages in Hungary and Zandvoort. Speaking to sponsors and journalists at Aston Martin's headquarters in Silverstone, including Mundo Deportivo, the team principal acknowledged the challenging start to the 2026 season has been tough. "I want to extend my gratitude to everyone for your patience and understanding," Newey stated. "It is very painful for us, our partners, and the entire team to witness the current performance level. However, we hope that soon this will be nothing but a distant memory—painful, yes, but distant."

      Newey also recognized the frustration felt by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, especially as he works to persuade Alonso to renew his contract. "The drivers are acutely aware of the car’s performance and what is occurring on the track," he noted. "Naturally, it’s been extremely frustrating for them to not compete on an even playing field due to both reliability challenges and performance issues. I’ve spent considerable time with both Fernando and Lance explaining what we’re doing, what our plans are with this upgrade package, and our intentions for the 2027 season. Although it may not appear so from the outside, we are attentively listening to their feedback and trying to respond accordingly."

      He acknowledged that Aston Martin could have managed the situation better. "When someone feels unheard, it's natural for frustration to arise. It’s a human reaction. Perhaps we made the mistake of not allocating sufficient time to explain in detail what we aim to achieve with these enhancements and our plans for the next season."

      Regarding the major upgrade program set to commence in Hungary, along with Honda’s much-anticipated revised power unit in Zandvoort, Newey remarked, "That moment is nearing, and in some ways, they’re already counting down the days until this challenging phase concludes. We hope that this will lead to a significant leap forward for us."

      Newey also addressed his role as Aston Martin's team principal amidst speculation that he has shifted many public-facing duties to Mike Krack. "The role of Team Principal can be interpreted in various ways," he explained. "Yes, I am the Team Principal, but in truth, leadership is a team effort, and we have an excellent team working alongside us."

      He affirmed that Aston Martin would maintain its notably flat management structure despite the season’s challenges. "Our organization features a very flat structure," he stated. "Such structures may draw comparisons to socialism, and we are all aware of the issues associated with socialism. Nonetheless, in this instance, I firmly believe it’s a structure we need to uphold."