The world of Formula 1 has recently learned of some worrying comments from Will Buxton regarding Aston Martin. The former presenter highlighted an important “warning sign” after Adrian Newey acknowledged that the team has not adequately consulted its drivers during the development of the car.
During the podcast Up To Speed, Buxton, along with former F1 driver David Coulthard and commentator Naomi Schiff, analyzed the disastrous start of the season for the Silverstone team. Currently, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are struggling with a car that is not competitive.
“There are concerns in multiple areas at Aston Martin,” Buxton said. “I don’t know if this comes from Adrian’s new responsibility as team principal, which has traditionally focused on design rather than managing the whole package. There’s something that just doesn’t fit.”
Buxton added that Adrian Newey’s admission of neglecting to consult the drivers is a clear signal of trouble. “When a team has to admit that it hasn’t consulted its drivers as much as it should, that’s concerning.”
For his part, Coulthard expressed doubts about the drivers’ ability to influence the technical design of the cars. “I’m not sure the drivers can contribute much to the design of specific details, but the volume of work for Adrian is undeniably concerning.”
Newey, who joined Aston Martin as a technical partner and director in 2025, now juggles several responsibilities that could affect his focus. According to Coulthard, “you can’t devote the same energy to two demanding tasks.”
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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