Adrian Newey predicts that Formula 1 could be in for a repeat of 2014. In that season, Lewis Hamilton had a significant lead over their rivals, primarily due to their powerful engine. According to the British top designer, the new regulations in 2026 could once again result in a ‘power unit dominated regulation’, especially in the beginning.
Adrian Newey is about to start his new job at Aston Martin. The British designer has been working at Red Bull since 2006, but decided to leave the Austrian racing team in 2024. Newey’s arrival at Aston Martin is just in time for the 2026 season. That year, the Formula 1 regulations will be overhauled, requiring a completely new engine and chassis to be built.
However, Newey believes that, following Mercedes in 2014, one engine manufacturer could potentially gain a larger advantage. “I think engine manufacturers will have learned to some extent from the lack of preparation that Mercedes’ rivals had prior to that change,” the top designer tells Auto, Motor und Sport. “But there will be a chance that one manufacturer comes out on top and that it becomes a power unit dominated regulation, at least in the beginning.”According to Newey, the new regulations are also written in such a way that teams starting the 2026 season with a deficit in their engine department will find it difficult to catch up. “If it’s on the electric side, then there’s much more opportunity to make up for your deficit.”
Red Bull
The British designer, since his departure from Red Bull in Formula 1, candidly admits that he will need to readjust. The fact that he is now on the verge of embarking on a whole new adventure with Aston Martin was something Newey himself did not anticipate. “If you had told me twelve months ago that I would be leaving Red Bull and now eventually starting again, I would have said: ‘No, you’re crazy’. But for various reasons, I felt I would not be true to myself if I stayed with Red Bull,” concludes Newey.
