Damon Hill drops one-word reaction to Adrian Newey pointing out major Aston Martin weakness

Aston Martin's newly appointed technical director, Adrian Newey, has deemed the simulator tool as the team's biggest weakness. He insists that correlation between simulator and on-track data is missing, and former world champion Damon Hill backed Newey's assessment.

Newey, one of the most celebrated design engineers in motorsports, ended his 20-year-long relationship with Red Bull last year to join the Aston Martin. He assumed the role of technical director in March 2025 and is primarily working on the development of the 2026 car.

With new engine regulations set to kick in, Newey has less time to develop a championship-winning car for next year. Moreover, Aston's driver-in-the-loop simulator tool is further holding the team back due to a lack of correlation.

At the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, Adrian Newey admitted that the data derived from the simulator tool installed at the team's new state-of-the-art facility in Silverstone isn't correlating with the on-track performance. According to Newey, the correlation issue could take up to two years to resolve, and it is one of Aston Martin's biggest weaknesses.

Talking to The Race, he said:

“I think it is fair to say that some of our tools are weak, particularly the driver-in-the-loop simulator. It needs a lot of work because it's not correlating at all at the moment, which is a fundamental research tool. Not having that is a limitation. But we've just got to work around it in the meantime and then sort out a plan to get it to where it needs to be. But that's probably a two-year project in truth."

Meanwhile, former F1 world champion Damon Hill agreed with Newey's assessment and said (via Instagram story):

"Fundamentals."

Damon Hill's IG Story [Image Source: @96f1champ/Instagram]

The Silverstone-based squad committed to a major investment in their new facility, which includes a functional wind tunnel. However, the unreliable simulator tool could end up limiting team's progress in the near future.

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Adrian Newey sets realistic expectations on Aston Martin's chances of signing Max Verstappen

Aston Martin engineer Adrian Newey with Max Verstappen at F1 Grand Prix of Canada - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen, contracted with Red Bull until 2028, has been linked to Aston Martin in the last 12 months. The team reportedly offered him a billion-dollar deal, but both sides firmly denied the speculations.

Moreover, Adrian Newey, who closely worked with Verstappen during his time at Red Bull, has urged Aston Martin to focus on building the fastest car, as the machinery is the key to landing a special talent like Verstappen. Talking to Autosport in Monaco, Newey said:

"Max is clearly a phenomenal talent, and he's a supreme competitor, and part of that means that Max likes to break things down to a simple common equation, if you like. In this particular case, that's choosing a team that he believes will deliver the fastest car. So, if we're to ever attract Max, the first thing we have to do is make a fast car. There's no point in pipe-dreaming about anything else from now on."

Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause in his deal with Red Bull, which allows him to leave early if the team's performance doesn't match his expectations. However, the Dutchman has time and again reaffirmed his loyalty to the Bulls, thus denying interest in joining any other rival team, including Aston Martin.