After several weeks of unusual discretion while he was hospitalized, Adrian Newey could make his return to the Aston Martin garage at the Monaco Grand Prix. About time!
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The relative absence of the legendary engineering figure has fueled much speculation in recent weeks, as Aston Martin is going through a particularly difficult start to the 2026 season with its new engine supplier Honda.
Some rumors have even gone as far as to mention concerns about the Briton’s health. According to several Spanish media outlets, Newey is expected to be present in the Principality this weekend, although the team has not yet officially confirmed his arrival.
Pedro de la Rosa calls for patience
Present at the launch of the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa sought to calm concerns surrounding the project: “It will be a difficult Grand Prix, you have already seen how the season started, but I must say that we benefit from a very significant investment behind this project.”
Facing the famous “Sagrada Família,” De la Rosa even made a symbolic comparison between Adrian Newey and Antoni Gaudí, the iconic architect of Barcelona: “Today, looking at this impressive work by Gaudí, an architect who is undoubtedly one of the best in the world, if not the best, I thought that we have our own Gaudí in F1: Adrian Newey.”
De la Rosa acknowledges, however, that Aston Martin’s transformation into a team capable of competing for titles will not happen overnight: “I think this period will be complicated, but we have an extraordinary project for the future. Teams are above all made up of people, and we have very strong people as well as exceptional tools. We just need a little patience.”
A long-term project
The Spaniard believes that the first tangible results could start to appear during the summer: “Little by little, during the summer, we will begin to show our potential.”
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These statements come as attention increasingly focuses on the future of the Aston Martin-Honda partnership and on Newey’s exact role in the project’s development. Recently, former Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost had said that Aston Martin could still succeed under Newey’s technical leadership, while adding the now widely discussed caveat: “if his health allows it.”
De la Rosa also took the opportunity to dismiss speculation about a possible retirement of Fernando Alonso. At 44 years old and despite the team’s current difficulties, the two-time world champion still retains, according to him, intact motivation.
Alonso still motivated despite difficulties
The former McLaren driver even shared a revealing anecdote about Alonso’s unpredictability when it comes to his future, the timing of which remains unknown: “I remember that before the start of the 2024 season, he told me: ‘I am going to retire.'”
Convinced he was going to witness his friend’s last season, De la Rosa had arranged his schedule accordingly to be present at every Grand Prix. But a few races later, everything had changed: “I think it was in China. Fernando took me aside and told me: ‘I am going to extend for two more years.'”
Since that episode, De la Rosa refuses to draw any conclusions about the Spanish driver’s future: “He is a man who possesses vitality, energy, motivation, and an absolutely exceptional passion,” he concluded.
As Monaco approaches, Adrian Newey’s expected presence could offer a positive signal to an Aston Martin team searching for bearings. But for De la Rosa, the key remains unchanged: to be patient and give time for an ambitious project to take shape.
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