Newey, who joined the Silverstone squad earlier this year as its managing technical partner after nearly two decades with Red Bull, will take on team principal duties from 2026 as Aston Martin prepares to become a full works outfit with Honda.
Andy Cowell, who has carried the dual CEO and team principal roles during the transition period, will move into a newly created position of chief strategy officer.
Aston Martin said the revised structure is intended to “focus on their individual strengths and expertise” as the team looks to take advantage of sweeping technical changes in 2026.
Newey, who has been heavily involved in the 2026 project since being recruited to guide its technical direction, said he was excited to take up the new role.
“Over the last nine months, I have seen great individual talent within our team,” Newey said.
“I’m looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where we will face an entirely new position with Aston Martin now a works team combined with the considerable challenge faced by the new regulations.
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“Andy’s new role, focusing on the integration of the new PU with our three key partners, will be pivotal in this journey.”
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Cowell, who has spent the last 14 months reshaping the organisation, will now concentrate on maximising the partnership between the team and its key technical partners Honda, Aramco and Valvoline.
He said it was “an appropriate time for me to take a different role as chief strategy officer,” explaining that his new remit will help “optimise the technical partnership between the team, Honda, Aramco and Valvoline and to ensure the seamless integration of the team’s new PU, fuel and chassis.”
Team owner Lawrence Stroll praised Cowell’s work in helping to reconfigure the team through a turbulent period.
“Andy Cowell has been a great leader this year,” he said.
“He’s focused on building a world-class team and getting them to work well together, as well as fostering a culture that puts the race car back at the heart of what we do.”
Stroll added he was “pleased that Adrian Newey will step into the team principal role, which will enable him to make full use of his creative and technical expertise.”
Newey’s expanded influence follows months of internal discussion about the team’s direction, including differing views on priorities and the pace of restructuring.
Several senior aerodynamic staff left earlier this year as he pushed for further change, and his comments about the team’s simulation facilities highlighted the scale of the overhaul he believed was required.
The shift in leadership also comes amid recent links between Christian Horner and Aston Martin, before the team moved to confirm its revised structure with Newey at the helm.
Newey will continue to guide the technical programme while leading the race team for the first time, with Cowell’s strategy position reporting directly to Stroll.
The announcement also comes after a documentary on Newey was officially greenlit, produced by Sir Jackie Stewart’s son, Mark, and Academy Award winner Ben Affleck.
As the team chases a turnaround from a difficult 2025 campaign, Stroll said the leadership changes had been agreed “in the interest of the Team” and were designed to ensure Aston Martin is “best placed to play to their collective strengths” in 2026.
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