Max Verstappen breaks silence on Adrian Newey taking over as team principal at Aston Martin

Max Verstappen has shared his reaction to Adrian Newey taking up the role of team principal at Aston Martin, sharing that he is happy for the Briton. The Dutchman also added that it is not uncommon to see people with technical knowledge being handed the role of team boss in the F1 paddock.

Aston Martin once again made big changes to their top management in November as team principal Andy Cowell was removed from the role. Adrian Newey, who held the position of managing technical partner, has been given the responsibilities of team boss.

Max Verstappen, who worked with Newey at Red Bull until the latter's exit in 2024, has shared his reaction to the news, sharing that he was happy for the 67-year-old.

"It’s probably something that you see in more teams, that someone more technical is taking on the role of team boss, and I guess Aston is going the same way. You have to ask them, of course, why they opted to do it, but that’s my logical explanation behind that," said Verstappen. [via PlanetF1] "I’m happy to see that. I don’t know, of course, how much that will change in the involvement of the car for Adrian, but I’m sure he will do well," he added.

Verstappen then added that only time will tell if Newey is suited to a leadership role, as it is a challenge he is taking up for the first time. He then concluded by saying that he was happy for the veteran and hopes to see him do well.

The Lawrence Stroll-owned side is hoping to get to the front of the field in the new regulations era, and Newey designing their Honda-powered car is one of the biggest stories heading into 2026. But now, he will have the added responsibility of leading the team, at least in the near future.

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Max Verstappen's key ally reportedly approached by Aston Martin for senior role

Max Verstappen with Gianpiero Lambiase at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen's race engineer and key ally Gianpiero Lambiase has been approached by Aston Martin with discussions over the Briton taking up a senior role within the F1 setup, according to The Race. This role could even see Lambiase become CEO or team principal at the Silverstone-based team.

While there is no indication that Aston Martin has appointed Newey as a caretaker or placeholder team boss, questions remain over how he will balance leading the team while also playing a key role in designing the 2026 car. Should Lambiase join the setup, Newey could return to his primary focus as the chief architect of the car.

For now, there has been no confirmation that Aston Martin has approached Lambiase. Reports have also suggested he could instead be offered a more senior role within the Red Bull setup. Where Max Verstappen’s closest confidant ends up ahead of the 2026 season remains to be seen.

Edited by Tushhita Barua