Last Updated on February 20 2026, 9:18 pm
Is Newey keeping his powder dry? According to an experienced voice in the Formula 1 paddock, Adrian Newey may not have revealed all his plans yet. Former driver and insider Juan Pablo Montoya is convinced that the Aston Martin F1 team could look very different when the season opens in Melbourne.
After pre-season testing in Bahrain, the mood surrounding Aston Martin was cautious. Lance Stroll said that they needed to find four seconds on the lap time, and Fernando Alonso admitted that the team was not yet where they wanted to be. For a project built around Newey’s arrival and a new partnership with Honda, these comments have raised concerns.
The AMR26 is a clean-sheet design overseen by Newey and is the first Aston Martin to be powered by Honda in this new era. Expectations are understandably high. However, Montoya believes a more balanced view is needed.
Montoya said, “No reason to panic”
Having worked with Newey at McLaren, Montoya sees testing form as an unreliable indicator.
‘If you look at all the cars, they all look the same, except the Aston,’ he noted. ‘That means either no one has figured it out, or everyone is sandbagging.’
In his view, aerodynamic concepts will evolve significantly before Melbourne. Testing programmes are often more about correlation and data gathering than outright speed. And if there is one designer known for holding something back until it matters, it is Newey.
“Adrian won’t use his full package until then,” suggested Montoya, implying that Bahrain may not reflect Aston Martin’s true performance level.
A lesson from 2014: Disaster in Jerez
There is historical precedent for this kind of scenario, and it directly involves Newey.
When Formula 1 introduced the V6 hybrid era in 2014, Red Bull Racing endured a nightmare pre-season. At the opening winter test in Jerez, the Renault power unit repeatedly failed. The car overheated, stopped on the track, and covered very few laps. Reliability was so poor that the team struggled to complete consecutive laps.
TJ13 was on the ground, reporting as the car crawled back to the pits or ground to a halt amid plumes of heat haze. At the time, it looked like a catastrophe. The new Renault hybrid package was clearly far behind the Mercedes benchmark.
Yet, when the championship arrived in Melbourne, the situation changed dramatically.
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Melbourne 2014: Suddenly competitive!
At the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo stunned observers by qualifying second on the grid. Although he was later disqualified due to a fuel flow irregularity, his podium finish sent a clear message.
Despite Mercedes’ early dominance in the hybrid era, Ricciardo’s Red Bull was the only non-Mercedes-powered car capable of running at the front at that stage. Williams were also quick, but crucially they used a Mercedes power unit. Red Bull, by contrast, had regained competitiveness despite its troubled Renault engine.
This did not eliminate Mercedes’ advantage, but it demonstrated Newey’s ability to optimise an imperfect package. The car that had seemed undriveable in Jerez was suddenly fast enough to compete at the front in Melbourne.
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Understanding Newey’s mindset
Montoya believes this mindset is central to Newey’s success.
“Adrian is a pessimist,” he explained. “Even when he built the Red Bull that won ninety percent of the races, he didn’t think they had such a good car.”
Newey’s relentless dissatisfaction drives development. He assumes there is always more lap time to find and always another aerodynamic detail to refine. This approach transformed an early 2014 embarrassment into immediate competitiveness.
“It’s hard to understand Adrian because he’s never happy,” Montoya added. ‘I think that’s one of the main reasons why he’s so good: he’s never satisfied with what he has.’
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Honda’s question mark, and a familiar pattern?
This year, the spotlight shifts to Honda. As Aston Martin’s sole engine partner, much as Renault was for Red Bull, Honda does not benefit from the data-sharing advantages enjoyed by manufacturers supplying multiple teams. Alongside Audi, Honda is one of the few suppliers with a single customer.
Mileage in Bahrain suggested there is still work to be done. Reports indicated that Audi managed around 600 kilometres across three days, while Mercedes completed roughly 5,000. Honda has acknowledged that it is still catching up after reversing its earlier decision to withdraw from Formula 1.
This raises legitimate concerns. However, 2014 offers a reminder that disastrous winter performance does not automatically lead to failure throughout the season.
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Melbourne will reveal the truth
The key question is whether Aston Martin is genuinely behind, or simply following a familiar Newey script.
Bahrain hinted at vulnerability. Stroll and Alonso sounded realistic, even cautious. However, history shows that a Newey-designed car can undergo significant transformation between testing and the first race.
If significant upgrades appear in Melbourne, the narrative may quickly change. If Aston Martin emerges as the only non-Mercedes-powered challenger capable of troubling the front runners, echoing Ricciardo’s performance in 2014, it would not be the first time that Newey has turned winter doubt into early-season impact.
For now, the paddock waits. Understanding Adrian Newey has never been straightforward, and he may well prefer to operate in an environment of uncertainty.
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NEXT ARTICLE – Horner Linked to £2.5 Billion Alpine Takeover
Christian Horner is connected to the £2.5 billion takeover of Alpine – Former Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is at the centre of growing speculation surrounding a potential £2.5 billion takeover of Alpine, with discussions ongoing with investment firm MSP Sports Capital.
The 52-year-old Briton is reportedly considering a return to Formula 1 in a different capacity, not as an employee, but as a controlling stakeholder. If the deal materialises, it would be one of the most significant shifts in ownership in the history of modern F1 and could reshape Alpine’s long-term future.
Talks with Existing Shareholders
Back in January, Alpine confirmed that Horner was part of a group interested in acquiring the 24 per cent stake currently held by Otro Capital. The remaining 76 per cent is owned by parent company Renault Group.
At the time, Alpine clarified that discussions were taking place directly with shareholders rather than with the team management.
“All approaches or discussions are with the existing shareholders, Otro Capital (24%) and Renault Group (76%), and not directly with Flavio Briatore or the team,” read the statement.
According to Sky News, the potential deal would value Alpine at between $2 billion and $2.5 billion. This estimate is similar to Forbes’s most recent valuation, which put the Enstone-based outfit at around $2.45 billion, highlighting just how much Formula 1 team values have increased in recent…CONTINUE READING
A senior writer at TJ13, C.J. Alderson serves as Senior Editor and newsroom coordinator, with a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing. Alderson’s professional training in media studies and experience managing content teams ensures TJ13 maintains consistency of voice and credibility. During race weekends, Alderson acts as desk lead, directing contributors and smoothing breaking stories for publication.
