SHOCKING NEWS: Aston Martin IN legal DISPUTE with Newey?

Aston Martin has revealed it will take precautions to avoid legal issues when communicating with Adrian Newey ahead of his arrival at the team in 2025. The Silverstone-based team announced last month that Newey, one of Formula 1’s most accomplished designers, will join them as Managing Technical Partner once he leaves Red Bull.

Newey, who earlier this year expressed his desire to leave Red Bull, will remain on gardening leave until March 2025. During that time, he cannot actively participate in Aston Martin’s operations. His new role will involve overseeing the team’s technical department and playing a key part in the design of Aston Martin’s car for the 2026 regulations.

However, team boss Mike Krack has expressed caution about how much he can engage with Newey while the latter is still under contract with Red Bull. “I don’t know,” Krack admitted when asked about the matter by Autosport. “I need to check with our legal department. We need to be very careful with these things. We do not want to get into legal [matters] going forward. That would just not feel right.”

While Aston Martin is eager for Newey’s expertise to boost the team, it is also wary of stepping into legal complications by discussing technical matters too soon. The team is proceeding carefully to avoid any breaches that could lead to disputes with Red Bull.

Aston Martin, which started the 2024 season with high hopes, has faced a challenging year on the track. The team currently sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with 86 points, a regression compared to their early-season momentum when they were seen as the closest contenders to Red Bull. Despite these struggles, the announcement of Newey’s arrival has lifted spirits within the team.

Krack, however, is cautious about relying too much on Newey’s future contributions and insists the team must continue to focus on its immediate challenges. He emphasized that Aston Martin cannot afford to become complacent while waiting for Newey to officially join. “We should use 2025 as an opportunity to show Adrian what we can do,” Krack said, encouraging the team to stay motivated. “If I identify anyone becoming complacent, it will not be for long.”

The team boss is clear that Newey’s arrival is no excuse for current underperformance. Aston Martin’s progress off the track has not translated to results on it. The team’s updates have not worked as expected, leaving them in a struggle to remain competitive in the midfield. Krack acknowledged that they have fallen short of their 2024 ambitions, admitting, “We are not where we want to be.”

He further explained that at the start of the season, Aston Martin knew it was the fifth-fastest team, and the goal was to close the gap to the top four. However, instead of closing the gap, other teams have caught up to them. “That is the reality, and that is something we have to understand and address,” Krack stated.

Although the team’s acquisition of Newey has generated optimism for the future, Aston Martin is facing the immediate challenge of improving its performance in the remainder of the 2024 season. Krack has made it clear that while Newey’s influence will be a boost, the team must remain focused on its present issues to avoid falling further behind.