Adrian Newey raises the red flag about incoming F1 regulations

F1 star designer Adrian Newey believes the incoming regulations could lead to another period of dominance

Lewis Hamilton’s stunning announcement that he was leaving Mercedes to drive for Ferrari starting with the 2025 Formula 1 season was a move that sent shockwaves through the sport.

But it was not the only announcement last season that a living F1 legend would be switching teams.

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix another stunning announcement came with the news that Adrian Newey, arguably the greatest engineer in the history of the sport, would be leaving Red Bull. That sparked months of speculation about where Newey would land next, speculation that finally ended with the announcement he was moving to Aston Martin.

Newey’s tenure with Aston Martin does not begin for a few more weeks, as he is set to join the team at the start of March, but the living legend is already raising warning signs about the incoming set of regulations that are set to shake up the grid for the 2026 season.

In an exclusive discussion with German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, the legendary engineer talked at length about the incoming regulations, and how they could open the door to another extended period of dominance by a single team, similar to the run by Mercedes starting in 2014 with regulations that introduced V6 turbos to the sport.

“I think there has to be a big chance that it’s an engine formula at the start,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “The reality is I can’t remember another time in Formula 1 when both the chassis regulations and the engine regulations have changed simultaneously and where, in this case, the chassis regulations have been very much written to try to compensate for the power unit regulations. So it’s an extra dimension.”

Newey also pointed to the big gap Mercedes had on the field starting with the new regulations in 2014, noting that there is at least an opportunity that teams have learned from the mistakes of the past.

“I think engine manufacturers will have learned to an extent [from] the lack of preparation that the rivals to Mercedes did before that change,” he said. “But there has to be a chance that one manufacturer will come out well on top and it will become a power unit-dominated regulation, at least to start with.

“And there’s a chance that if it’s on the combustion engine side of it, that somebody comes up with a dominant combustion engine, that will last through the length of the formula, because the way the regulations are written it’s quite difficult for people who are behind to catch up. If it’s on the electrical side, then there’s much more ability to catch up if you’re behind.”

Newey also conceded that because he has been “out of the sport” since the spring, he is not fully briefed on the incoming regulations, and will need time to get up to speed.

“Because I’ve been out of Formula 1, really, since the end of April, then I have little detailed knowledge of the new regulations,” added Newey.

“Of course, the power unit side of the regulations has been out for some time but in terms of the chassis side of it and the aerodynamics and the vehicle dynamics, then I don’t have much knowledge. So that will be a rapid learning curve when I do start.”

Aston Martin placed a big bet on that learning curve when they named Newey as a shareholder and Managing Techincal Partner. With him joining the team in March, he will likely focus his efforts on designing the team’s challenger for 2026, when the new regulations arrive.

Perhaps Aston Martin believes that Newey will be the reason they are the team that dominates the next era of F1.

You can watch the entire interview with Newey here.