Fernando Alonso Reveals Newey's Role in Aston Martin Recovery

Fernando Alonso has detailed the role being played by Adrian Newey as Aston Martin attempts to recover from a disappointing start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.

The Silverstone-based team has endured a difficult opening seven races, scoring just a single point through Alonso's 10th-place finish in Monaco. The AMR26 has regularly occupied the lower end of the timesheets as the team struggles with both chassis and power unit performance.

Among the key issues affecting the car is a loss of gearbox synchronization at low speed after Aston Martin introduced its own gearbox design for the first time under the 2026 regulations. The problem was particularly evident in Barcelona, where Aston Martin was the slowest team in the field, even behind newcomer Cadillac.

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While no major upgrades are expected until a significant package arrives around the summer break, Alonso explained that Newey remains heavily involved in understanding and addressing the team's technical weaknesses.

"We speak with him every week, so it's not that we are not updated on things."

"When he comes to the track, he is always meticulously into the feedback of the driver and tries to understand exactly what is going on in each corner."

According to Alonso, Newey's focus extends beyond the team's immediate problems. The legendary designer is already evaluating how future development packages can address weaknesses across different circuit characteristics later in the season.

"He's thinking ahead of time. He's thinking about what the new package will bring to the specific problems we are experiencing. He's also thinking about the Singapore package and what can be done for the next street circuit."

Newey's arrival remains one of Aston Martin's biggest hopes for reversing its fortunes. With a major upgrade package planned for later in the year, the team is aiming to turn Newey's technical understanding into meaningful performance gains and re-establish itself as a competitive force in Formula 1's midfield battle.