Toto Wolff Claims Ex-Mercedes Team Member 'Most Important' At Aston Martin, Not Adrian Newey

Saajan Jogia | Sep 13, 2024

Toto Wolff 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, Friday - LAT Images / Mercedes Press Image

Speaking on Aston Martin's recent Adrian Newey hiring on September 10, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff revealed that former Mercedes managing director Andy Cowell, slated to join Aston Martin in October, is the most important individual hired by the Silverstone outfit.

One of Formula 1's most accomplished designers, Newey stunned the paddock with his announcement in May of his departure from Red Bull after 18 years with the team. His expertise has been pivotal in Red Bull's dominance since the start of the ground effect era in 2022, highlighted by the 2023 RB19 F1 car, which led the team to an incredible 21 wins out of 22 Grands Prix last year.

Following his exit announcement, several teams, including McLaren, Ferrari, Alpine, and Williams, approached Newey. Ultimately, Lawrence Stroll's long-term vision for Aston Martin, backed by a new state-of-the-art facility in Silverstone, convinced Newey to join the team.

Cowell, a 55-year-old British engineer, began his F1 engine development career in the 1990s with Cosworth and rose to prominence at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. He oversaw
the hybrid power units that fueled Mercedes' dominance from 2014 to 2021 as the managing director of Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. His expertise will be crucial for Aston Martin after his October 1 joining, especially with major regulation changes coming in 2026.

When asked about Newey's historic signing, Wolff told Sky Sports F1 that he could only comment on Cowell, whom he had worked with. As reported by Formu1a.uno, he said:

“For me, the most important person hired by Aston Martin is Andy Cowell, who comes from our team. He is a very good manager as CEO, he understands the organisation, the structure, the processes. Adrian obviously has the talent for aerodynamics, but for me, regarding the organisation, I know Andy, not Adrian. With these two hires, they can be strong.”

Wolff added:

"First of all, it is better that Andy ended up at Aston Martin rather than at Red Bull Powertrain.

“We think that the change in the regulation for 2026 is massive, the fuel will also change a lot, which will be 100% bio, it is possible that there will be a total revolution in performance in 2026.”

The Mercedes team principal emphasized that Aston Martin had made itself very competitive with its recent hires. He said:

“We always have to have all the rivals on our radar, you can see how McLaren went, a year and a half ago they were doing very badly and today they are the fastest. For this reason, Aston Martin, with the people they have taken and with a strong driver, can be very competitive for the championship. Regarding the drivers, we are focusing on Kimi and George, our priority is for them to be fast.”