Adrian Newey “hugely complimentary” about Aston Martin F1’s mega campus

Aston Martin's bold infrastructural investments continue to earn plaudits, with Adrian Newey reportedly impressed by the team's Silverstone facility. The F1 design legend, who joined the team in March as their technical partner, praised the state-of-the-art campus and new wind tunnel, revealed team principal Andy Cowell.

The addition of Newey, whose designs have won 26 world titles, and the structural improvements are central to the team's long-term title ambitions. With the new campus, wind tunnel, and a works engine deal with Honda for 2026, the Silverstone-based outfit has been preparing aggressively for Formula 1's looming regulation reset in 2026.

Newey was previously the chief technology officer at Red Bull but was swayed by Aston Martin, who offered him equity and a long-term contract as their Managing Technical Partner. Speaking to Pitdebrief, Andy Cowell shed light on Newey's early impressions of the Aston Martin facility and his holistic outlook on car design.

"Adrian has got a huge amount of experience in the art of a racing car, which is made up of many systems. Whether it's aerodynamics, kinematics of the suspension, ease of adjustability in a racetrack environment... Adrian is hugely complimentary about the campus," Cowell said.

The campus, officially known as the Aston Martin F1 Team Technology Campus, is a cornerstone of the outfit's transformation project. Situated adjacent to the British Grand Prix venue, this 400,000 sq. ft. facility is the first all-new F1 base in nearly two decades.

Phase one, housing the design office and manufacturing units, launched in mid-2023. The remaining stages, which include a simulator, gym, event space, and a brand-new wind tunnel, are now operational.

The team has signed key names like Enrico Cardile and Adrian Newey while reshuffling its internal structure for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Cowell will now head the performance, engineering, and aerodynamics teams while long-serving team principal Mike Krack will serve as Chief Trackside Officer.

Aston Martin presents new techincal partner, Adrian Newey, at a press conference in Aston Martin Headquarters. Source: Getty

Aston Martin is also pushing a new works engine supply deal with Honda for 2026, which will replace their current Mercedes engines. Honda has even opened a UK base to support post-race operations, setting the groundwork for a seamless transition into the 2026 regulations.

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Adrian Newey satisfied with Aston Martin's tunnel upgrade but "pushing" to improve

Fernando Alonso leads Lance Stroll in the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain. Source: Getty

At the center of the recent progress is the long-awaited wind tunnel, which began operations last month. Its integration has already accelerated the 2025 and 2026 development programs. Cowell also highlighted how Newey is instrumental in designing their aerodynamic understanding of the AMR25 Mercedes.

"He's (also) been positive about the tunnel that we've got and the way that everything's been set up. He is of course pushing for us to improve the way we operate in the tunnel, the way we operate with CFD, the way we operate with lap simulations," he said.

The tunnel is part of a phased rollout of new facilities aimed at creating an entirely self-sufficient, top-tier F1 operation. From model shops to simulator rooms, the goal is to eliminate performance compromises due to limited resources, something that held the team back in the past.

With carbon reduction efforts, electric vehicle charging setups, solar panels, and more, the new facility signals a shift toward a modern, sustainable racing operation.