Formula 1 Aero Guru, Adrian Newey, who joined Aston Martin as a general technical partner and shareholder in March, spoke next time 2026 F1 regulations For the first time, by suggesting that there remains limited flexibility in design.
For the first time in more than a decade, new regulations on the engine and the chassis will be implemented next year, leading to full new F1 cars on the grid which will be lighter and slightly smaller than current terrestrial cars. They will also present active aerodynamics on the front and rear wings.
A major difference in the F1 2026 car will be the way it will be supplied. The new car will have an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, the power being also divided between the two.
The F1 teams were allowed to start their work on the 2026 car from this year, while they continue to focus on the 2025 season. Juggling between the two cars was a whole task, and many teams end their current car after the summer holidays.
Adrian Newey of Aston Martin walks in the paddock during the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Monaco circuit on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco.
Kym Illman / Getty images
Current regulations offer little design flexibility to teams to experiment with the components of their cars, pushing them to find creative gaps. The 2024 season saw McLaren introduce a rear wing which flexed under high speed pressure, creating a semi-drs effect. Although the FIA judged that it was legal, he would have asked McLaren to modify the design after having faced reactions because of other teams on the grid.
While the F1 teams rely on these gray areas in the regulations to extract additional car performance, Newey suggested that the regulations of 2026 do not offer “much space” to experiment, but admitted that a deep dive in the rules could help obtain a certain flexibility. Talk to F1-INSIDERHe said:
“When I saw the rules for the first time, my initial reaction was:” Oh my God, that does not leave much room for maneuver! “
“But when you look into the details, you see a certain flexibility. But as always in Formula 1, after three or four years, the teams will converge.”
At the age of 66, Newey separated from Red Bull last year, where he designed the dominant cars of the team that helped Max Verstappen secure four championships. After starting his new role at Aston Martin, the Briton admitted that he had entered a “design trance”, as his wife calls him, working “flat”, except a weekend, to design “a fast racing car”. He added:
“I had a weekend recently, but other than that, it was roughly constantly.
NEWEY is currently working on “the front and rear suspension, the size of the fuel tank and the wheelbase” of the Aston Martin F1 2026 car. However, he mentioned two gaps affecting his work, for which his team may have to rely on mid-season upgrades. He said:
“On the one hand, we do not have enough time, and on the other hand, our simulation tools can be a little weak. We must therefore try to make the best possible evaluations. If necessary, the body and the wings can be adjusted during the season.”