A rare early disagreement has surfaced between Adrian Newey and Aston Martin's senior leadership just months into the famed designer's tenure at the Silverstone-based squad.
Newey, who has been focused on the team's 2026 project since his arrival in March, appeared publicly for the first time in Aston Martin green at the Monaco Grand Prix. Speaking candidly, he admitted there are already hurdles to overcome - particularly in the team's technical infrastructure.
"Some of our tools are weak," Newey acknowledged. "Particularly the simulator. It needs a lot of work because there's no correlation at the moment, and it's a fundamental development tool.
"Not having that is a limitation, but we have to work in the meantime. It's probably a two-year project."
The remark prompted concern about whether the team's championship ambitions for the upcoming regulation shift could be delayed. However, team principal Andy Cowell, the former Mercedes engine chief, pushed back on Newey's timeframe.
"We won't need two years," Cowell insisted. "It just takes time to fine-tune these things - but it's not years, it's a matter of months."
He described current discrepancies between driver feedback in the simulator and data from the track. "We were just talking in the briefing about 'what did the driver say in the simulator' and 'what did the track say', and there's a mismatch. 'What do we do now?'"
Cowell stressed the simulator remains in use but with some caution. "We're still using the driver in the simulator, but we're a little more cautious about rolling out setup changes," he said. "But we won't need two years, and this isn't about Adrian and I having a discussion."
He added that it's part of a natural evolution when integrating new tools. "Over time, you gain confidence, so you use it as a development tool, and then you can really use it. That's the path we're taking, which I don't think is unusual for any team introducing a new tool."
Expectations remain high for Aston Martin as the sweeping 2026 engine and chassis overhaul approaches. The team is preparing to transition from customer Mercedes power units to full works Honda support, alongside Alonso's continued presence and Newey's technical leadership.
"We're all working on the 2026 car," Alonso shared at a pre-Spanish GP event. "But a bit without any reference to any other car - just what we see of ours."
He added: "So we have to trust our people, our facilities, our engineers, and also Adrian Newey, which is perhaps the greatest security we have. We don't have any guarantees, but we do have the best making the car. So that has to help no matter what."
Alonso also pointed to the growing scope of Aston Martin's independence. "We're also going to manufacture the gearbox for the first time in the team's history," he said.
"This team has always purchased its gearbox and engine from Mercedes, but the engine will now come from Honda, and the gearbox will be manufactured in-house for the first time.
"These are also challenges that can't be underestimated and we have to work hard on them."
