Peter Windsor blames Honda failure on Lawrence Stroll and questions Adrian Newey role at Aston Martin
F1 Teams NewsWednesday, 18 March 2026 at 11:57
Lawrence Stroll’s grip on Aston Martin has come under fresh scrutiny after a turbulent start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, with growing questions around the leadership of Adrian Newey, Honda integration, and whether the team misjudged its structure at the very top.
Against a backdrop of Honda reliability concerns, staffing losses in Japan, and early signs that the project may already be drifting, Peter Windsor delivered a blunt assessment of how the team is really run.
A Formula 1 veteran turned pundit said: “I think Lawrence Stroll runs the team. So that’s why I say this whole team principal thing is just a name, and ultimately nothing will happen without Lawrence’s consent.”
That view cuts to the core of Aston Martin’s current situation. While Adrien Newey has been installed as team principal, Windsor argues the role lacks the authority traditionally associated with figures such as Frank Williams or Ron Dennis.
“It’s not really the same role that Frank Williams was or Ron Dennis was. It’s a sort of team principal role, but Lawrence is the man. He’s in charge of the team,” Windsor explained, on the CameronCC YouTube channel.
This centralised structure now faces its first major stress test, as Aston Martin’s highly anticipated Honda partnership shows signs of early strain.
Honda concerns expose deeper structural cracks
Recent reporting has revealed that Honda lost a significant portion of its Formula 1 experienced workforce ahead of the new regulations, without fully informing Aston Martin.
At the same time, technical issues such as battery vibration problems have only recently been stabilised, raising questions about how prepared the project truly was heading into 2026.
Layered onto that is the uncomfortable reality that Aston Martin may already be considering writing off the season before it has properly begun.
Windsor’s criticism is not limited to Honda. Instead, he points directly at Aston Martin’s leadership approach and the failure to embed itself properly within the Japanese operation.
“The reality of Adrian appearing at Monaco last year in an Aston Martin cap, but not going to Japan until November, is so absurd and so ridiculous and so incomprehensible,” Windsor said. “If I were Lawrence, I would be thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll get rid of both these guys. This is just insane.’”
The implication is clear. For a works-level partnership with Honda, physical presence and daily integration in Japan should have been non-negotiable from day one.
“Why wasn’t Lawrence in Japan? Why wasn’t he out there making sure Honda was on the pace? Saying, ‘Adrian, anything I can do to help?’” Windsor added.
Windsor’s argument goes beyond individual decisions and points to a systemic issue in how Aston Martin is being managed.
Leadership failure or structural design?
Windsor, suggests that Stroll, as owner and ultimate decision-maker, should have anticipated Newey’s limitations and built a support structure around him accordingly: “If you’re Lawrence Stroll and it’s your team, wouldn’t you be thinking about all the areas where Adrian needs support before he even realises it himself?”
That includes understanding Newey’s strengths as a technical genius, but also compensating for weaknesses in areas such as stakeholder management, administration, and political sensitivity: “Maybe one of them is taking Honda for granted. Another might be he’s not very strong on people management. Maybe he’s not into the FIA paperwork. So you bring someone in to do that.”
Instead, Windsor argues Aston Martin failed to deploy its resources effectively, particularly in Japan, where the Honda programme required constant oversight: “You’d probably be buying a house next to the Honda factory, making sure your people are there 24/7. Wouldn’t you make sure your people are in Japan the moment the deal is signed?”
The comparison with McLaren’s troubled Honda reunion looms large, a cautionary tale Aston Martin appears not to have fully absorbed.The situation escalated further after Newey publicly criticised Honda’s operational structure during a recent race weekend, pointing out that key personnel from the Red Bull era were no longer in place.
For Windsor, that moment exposed a critical leadership misstep: “Lawrence Stroll should have recognised that Adrian is not the right person to handle that press conference. The last thing you want to do is disrespect Honda.”
Newey under pressure with Aston Martin at a crossroads
The handling of that media moment has raised concerns about internal alignment, especially given Honda’s sensitivity to public criticism and the importance of maintaining trust within the partnership.
“You should be laser-focused on keeping that relationship strong, especially during a difficult period,” Windsor added.
With performance issues emerging, internal tensions surfacing, and Honda integration still incomplete, Aston Martin finds itself at a pivotal moment in its 2026 project.
Windsor’s conclusion is uncompromising and places ultimate responsibility at the top: “If Aston Martin Honda are in trouble now because they didn’t spend enough time on the Honda programme, then the responsibility lies with Lawrence Stroll,” he said. “Because he should have known what Adrian is like.”
The broader warning is equally stark. In an era of ever-expanding teams, budgets, and commercial complexity, Windsor believes Aston Martin has lost sight of the fundamentals.
“These teams are so big and so focused on sponsorship and partnerships that they forget the simple, human fundamentals of running a race team,” he said.
As the season unfolds, the question is no longer just whether Aston Martin can recover performance, but whether its leadership model can withstand the pressure of a works partnership that demands precision, presence, and control at every level.
“And if you’ve already made that mistake. The key is simple: don’t make it worse,” Windsor concluded. Peter has his own YouTube Channel which is worth a follow. Ditto CameronCC.
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