Lance Stroll Expresses Excitement After Adrian Newey Signing - 'Constructing An Incredible Team'

Saajan Jogia | Sep 10, 2024

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll (18) reacts to a question during a press conference in advance of the Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll expressed enthusiasm following the announcement of Adrian Newey’s appointment at a press conference today. Stroll highlighted that an "incredible team" was being assembled with top talent to elevate Aston Martin’s performance and compete at the highest level in Formula 1.

Newey will join as Aston Martin's managing technical partner and shareholder on March 1, 2025. The deal includes a base salary of £20 million, potentially increasing to £30 million with bonuses, as reported by Sky Sports F1. Newey, who spent eighteen years as Red Bull’s chief technical officer, will embark on this new chapter with Aston Martin next year.

The announcement came as a major surprise after months of speculation following his departure announcement in May. The renowned aero expert was rumored to be considering roles with Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Alpine, and Aston Martin. His visit to Aston Martin’s new Silverstone facility significantly intensified rumors about his future with Lawrence Stroll’s team.

Lance Stroll expressed his views about the aero guru's onboarding in a statement, hoping for the team to turn its grim situation around in 2026. As quoted by GPBlog.com, he said:

"Yeah, it's a huge day. There's already a lot said, but I think it's really the most exciting day in this team's history. Adrian's won more championships than anyone in the paddock and now he's wearing green.

"So it's an extremely exciting day. 2026 is not far away. A completely new set of regulations, a lot of opportunity, and we're really constructing an incredible team with so many talented people that are already here. Now Adrian's coming on board, so really exciting."

Fernando Alonso revealed in a statement how Newey's onboarding to Aston Martin could be an "incredible professional opportunity" for him. As quoted by GPBlog.com, he added:

"We’ve been racing against each other for many years. I would say that it was more an inspiration. Thanks to Adrian, his talent and his cars, I think we all got better. That’s as a driver, as engineers, as teams, we all had to raise the bar thanks to him to be able to compete."

The Spaniard also included Honda in his statement, since the Japanese manufacturer is poised to become the team’s official power unit supplier starting in 2026. He added:

"It's an incredible day for the team. Lawrence’s vision is taking shape with this building, with Adrian, with Honda, with Aramco, the new wind tunnel. It’s definitely the team of the future, I would say.

"It's going to be an incredible professional opportunity to work with Adrian and to keep wearing this green colour, which I'm very proud to be part of. But also on a personal side, it’s an incredible opportunity to work with these people. You can learn so much from them. I was talking with Lance a few weeks ago about the incredible opportunity we have to witness and to work with Lawrence and with everyone at Aston Martin. We are learning a lot of things on track and off track, and it's a part of our personal growth as well."