Newey offers ‘arch enemy’ Alonso verdict upon joining Aston Martin

Adrian Newey will finally get the opportunity to work with Fernando Alonso when he leaves Red Bull for Aston Martin in early 2025.

The Spanish driver has proven a formidable adversary and “arch enemy” for Newey over the years, but now the two will come together in pursuit of Alonso’s elusive third F1 drivers’ title.

The 43-year-old won his first championship in 2005, when he was at Renault and Newey was in his final year with McLaren.

Kimi Raikkonen went toe-to-toe with Alonso in the Briton’s infamous MP4-20, considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful F1 cars of all time.

However, Newey would finally get the better of the now-Aston Martin driver in the early 2010s, when Sebastian Vettel won four consecutive drivers’ championships.

Alonso ran him close in 2010 and 2012, but the German – and the Newey-designed Red Bull – held out.

The two-time drivers’ champion is someone Newey has always wanted to work with, a prospect he is “very much looking forward to” when he officially starts.

“We’ve battled against each other for so many years,” highlighted the 65-year-old. “He’s been a bit of an arch enemy at times.

“We came so close to him joining Red Bull in for in 2008 for the 2009 season, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite happen, which is great shame – so we continued to battle against each other.

“He’s a legend of the sport, so very much looking forward to working with.”

Lance Stroll

On the other side of the Aston Martin garage, Newey will work with Lance Stroll, a driver has been familiar with since the Canadian was still racing in F3.

Stroll, the son of team owner Lawrence, jumped straight to F1 after he “dominated the second half” of the 2016, as Newey recalls given his own son was racing against Stroll at the time.

“Lance I’ve known slightly for many years, back from his F3 days,” Newey added.

“My lad, Harry, was also racing F3 the same time that the Lance was. So, admired him – he dominated the second half of that year [2016] in F3.”

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