Adrian Newey is not heading to Ferrari and will more likely move to Aston Martin to oversee development of their 2026 car.
That’s according to former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, who believes the ‘genius’ of Formula 1 car design could favour staying in the UK over relocating to Italy.
Newey’s next career move has been the talk of F1 even since announcing his decision to leave Red Bull at the end of the 2024 season.
He’s effectively been on gardening leave with the Milton Keynes-based team ever since, and in the meantime has been working on Red Bull’s two-seater RB17 hypercar, which is due to enter production in 2025.
A possible move to link up with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari dominated the early conversations of Newey’s next move, with reports even claiming he’d signed a pre-contract agreement with the Scuderia.
But Aston Martin have recently entered the frame as genuine contenders as his next employers – rumours that were fueled when Newey recently admitted to driving an Aston Martin DB6 while on holiday.
Newey has worked on an Aston before, having had a hand in the design of their Valkyrie hypercar, which was produced in partnership with Red Bull.
Aston Martin team owner Lance Stroll has also recently said it would be ‘f****** awesome’ if Newey joined their ranks – heaping praise on the 65-year-old’s incredible CV, having contributed to 13 Formula 1 world championships, including all seven of Red Bull’s with Sebastian Vettel and reigning champion Max Verstappen.
And Steiner agrees a switch to Aston Martin would make more sense than a move to Ferrari and their HQ in Modena, Italy.
“Adrian is a genius at designing F1 cars,” Steiner told talkSPORT at new Buffalo Trace distillery in London.
“I don’t think he’s going to Ferrari, but what do I know? I think he doesn’t know himself where he’s going next.
“Just because everyone thought [he was going to Ferrari] doesn’t mean he will. Obviously he’s looking around at what he wants to do next.
“Maybe the reason [behind his decision] will be because he doesn’t want to go to Italy or he’s got an offer from Aston Martin that he cannot refuse, sometimes there offers come along.
“I don’t know if he has made his mind up, because it’s really nice if everyone wants you, you don’t have to be in a rush to make a decision. So I don’t really know where he’s going.
“But I think him going to Ferrari is very unlikely at the moment. They are building up a team with people already, so they have a plan in place and maybe there were promises made to people and Adrian wouldn’t fit.
“I’m not saying definitely he’s not going, I just don’t think he’s going there.”
While Newey has publicly stated he will make a decision over his future by ‘autumn/winter time’ this year, Steiner believes he won’t start working again until plans begin for the 2026 cars.
That’s when F1’s new regulations come into effect, with changes including shorter and narrower cars, the removal of front wheel arches, active aerodynamics, new hybrid engines and a new overtaking aid system.
And Steiner believes having Newey on board in time to design their 2026 car with the new regs will make any team a force to be reckoned with.
The Italian former F1 chief added: “I think he’s taking a break and then obviously Aston Martin are investing a lot of money in their F1 team and employing a lot of people – they’ve just announced Andy Cowell [Mercedes’ former power unit chief] is going there to replace Martin Whitmarsh, so there are a lot of things going on there and maybe he wants to join a team that invests the most in it.
“But Adrian has nothing to prove to anybody. He just thinks about, ‘Where is the best for me, where gives me the best future?’
“I think for sure if Adrian goes to Aston Martin he will be working on the 2026 car, because the 2025 car is maybe too late for him to start on it anyway.
“Adrian when a new regulation comes out he is normally on top of the game, so I think that’s a good opportunity for them.”
Guenther Steiner is a new brand ambassador for Buffalo Trace Bourbon whiskey and spoke to media at their new distillery location in London – for more information, visit: buffalotracedistillery.com