Adrian Newey Makes 2026 Prediction As He Reveals Aston Martin Focus

Aston Martin's soon-to-be managing technical partner and Formula 1 aero guru, Adrian Newey predicts that the new era of rules starting in 2026 will be dominated by power unit regulations. He describes the next year as a major milestone in the premier class of motorsport since it undergoes major changes in the power unit and chassis regulations.

Newey parted ways with Red Bull last year and is aware of the changes in the power unit regulations since they were finalized a long time ago. This will be the first time that the power output in an F1 car will be obtained from two sources in an equal ratio—electric power from an MGU-K unit and internal combustion through sustainable fuels. One major change in the power unit is the introduction of a boost system, designed to provide cars with an extra burst of power when chasing the car ahead, similar to the functionality of the DRS system.

The new era could witness a player like Mercedes dominate the F1 grid, which showcased superiority from the 2014 season with the onset of the hybrid era. Explaining that the next season would likely be the dawn of a new period that would be influenced by the car's power units, Newey told Auto Motor und Sport:

"There has to be a big chance that it's an engine formula at the start. I can't remember another time in Formula 1 when both the chassis regulations and the engine regulations have changed simultaneously, and where in this case the chassis regulations have been very much written to try to compensate, let's say, for the power unit regulations. So, it's an extra dimension.

"There has to be a chance that one manufacturer will come out well on top, and it will become a power-unit-dominated regulation, at least to start with. There's a chance that if it's on the combustion engine side of it, that somebody comes up with a dominant combustion engine that will last through the length of the formula, because the way the regulations are written, it's quite difficult for people who are behind to catch up.

"If it's on the electrical side, then there's much more ability to catch up if you're behind. And on the fuel side, which might play a role as well, there's flexibility in principle, but with dyno restrictions and the fact that everything's so optimised, you can't simply chuck a different fuel into an engine that hasn't been optimised for it."

Newey stressed that he would be prioritizing Aston Martin's 2026 car, when he joins the team on March 1, but pointed out the need for time to familiarize himself with the updates, as he has been away from the sport since departing Red Bull in April last year. He added:

"My concentration will clearly be on '26," he said. "No doubt Lawrence [Stroll, Aston owner] will want me to be a little bit involved in the '25 car. So, whether I can really contribute anything or not, I've got no idea until I start.

"I've been out of Formula 1, really, since end of April. I have little detailed knowledge of the new regulations. On the power-unit side, the regulations have been out for some time, but in terms of the chassis side, aerodynamics and the vehicle dynamics, then I don't have much knowledge, so that will be a rapid learning curve when I do start."