Adrian Newey Embraces the Opportunities in F1’s 2026 Regulations

Aston Martin Racing’s managing technical partner, Adrian Newey, expresses his enthusiasm for the innovative possibilities presented by Formula One’s new regulations set to take effect in 2026. After his departure from Red Bull, Newey has joined forces with to help establish the team as a formidable competitor in the years ahead.

The Shift Towards Innovation in the New Regulations

The upcoming regulations will see cars becoming smaller and lighter, moving away from ground effect reliance, with active aerodynamics aiming to minimize drag on straightaways while maintaining reasonable downforce levels in corners. Newey believes that these new rules offer parallels with the last major rule change in 2022, which initially appeared restrictive but ultimately provided ample room for innovative design philosophies.

As we saw at the start of 2022, teams took significantly different approaches, and while they’ve largely converged over the past four seasons, Newey anticipates a similar trend in 2026. He emphasizes that variation between teams is crucial for maintaining interest, as it becomes dull when cars look identical.

The Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

Introducing sweeping rule changes for both the chassis and power unit at the same time is “slightly scary,” according to Newey, with the unknown factor being how much the tightest grid in history will be disrupted again. The new aerodynamic rules and power unit regulations present opportunities, and Newey expects a range of aero solutions and potential variation in power unit performance across the grid initially.

Having worked closely with Honda during his time at Red Bull, Newey expresses confidence in Aston Martin‘s new works manufacturer to excel with the 2026 power units. He speaks highly of Honda’s engineering prowess and their ability to adapt quickly.