Herbert reveals Newey advantage that will bring Aston Martin glory

Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team have been on a downward trajectory since their remarkable start to the 2023 season, during which Fernando Alonso scored six podiums in eight races. The Silverstone-based outfit currently sit fifth in the Constructors' Championship with 86 points and have fallen behind the likes of Haas and Williams on ultimate pace in recent weeks.

Both Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll were knocked out in the first part of Sprint Qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix. They failed to score any points on Sunday in the Grand Prix with Stroll crashing out on the formation lap.

Alonso on the other hand barely managed to finish the race in 14th as his back got a beating from a bouncing AMR24 that threatened to kill him every time he touched the brakes.

It's clear that Aston Martin have shifted their focus on 2025 when legendary car designer Newey will join the team as Technical Managing Partner and major shareholder. Newey will be directly involved with the development of Aston Martin's 2026 challenger, which will adhere to the significant rule changes scheduled for that campaign.

With 25 Constructors' and Drivers' Titles combined, there's no denying that wherever Newey goes, Championship glory follows. Speaking exclusively to GrandPrix247, former F1 driver and Grand Prix winner Herbert laid out his expectations for Aston Martin and Newey in the coming years.

When asked if he thinks Newey can bring championships to Aston Martin, as he has done with Red Bull, McLaren and Williams in the past, Herbert replied: "He's the man to potentially make that happen. I don't see any reason [why he can't win], because he's obviously still a motivator.

"If he wasn't motivated, he wouldn't have done it. And he's still heavily motivated to make Aston Martin succeed. And that's powerful, very powerful," Herbert added.

The 60-year-old believes that there is a key difference between Newey and other designers which has contributed to the former's undeniable success. He explained: "Adrian is someone that you know is still able to produce the goods.

"I think what Adrian is very good at is not just designing a car and going on to win a Championship because it's a good car. He keeps improving those good cars and it's that ability for him when you see him on the grid, for example, and everybody does it, but you almost go, yeah, but do they know what they're looking at? But you know he knows what he's looking at.

"So yeah, he is a genius, but it's the how he does it. It's how he seems to be able to spot what he needs to get, maybe doesn't get what he needs to begin with, but then somehow, maybe years later, slots it all together," concluded the Briton.