Aston Martin’s 2026 crisis deepens: engine failures, zero points, and Newey uncertainty

Aston Martin is dealing with growing noise around the role of Adrian Newey inside the team. The legendary engineer, who took on the dual job of technical director and team principal this season, traveled to the Australian Grand Prix to explain the AMR26’s issues — including its troubled Honda power unit. He didn’t attend the Chinese Grand Prix, and his absence there was already planned.

Aston Martin deny Newey rumors

Now, Motorsport reports that Newey may step back from his team‑principal duties to focus exclusively on technical development at the factory, and that Jonathan Wheatley — currently team principal at Audi — is set to join Aston Martin. But at this point, neither team is confirming anything. In fact, both reacted with surprise.

“These articles are rumors and speculation. Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team remains fully committed to Adrian Newey as our associate chief technical officer and team principal,” the team told AS. Wheatley, formerly Red Bull’s sporting director, joined Sauber — later Audi — in 2025, where he shares leadership with Mattia Binotto, the team’s chief operating officer and top technical authority.

Even so, a move like this at Aston Martin, whether now or later, wouldn’t be shocking. Newey wouldn’t lose influence; instead, he’d be able to focus entirely on the technical side without the distractions of media duties or the political responsibilities that come with being a team principal — including attending Formula 1 Commission meetings with the FIA, FOM, and other team representatives.

At race weekends, Newey already steps back from the spotlight. Mike Krack, the team’s trackside boss, handles most press conferences. And since 2026, Pedro Martínez de la Rosa has served as the team’s public spokesperson.

Aston Martin’s previous team principal, Andy Cowell, remains within the organization as the main liaison with Honda and travels frequently to the Sakura engine facility. Meanwhile, about half a dozen employees from the Silverstone factory have temporarily relocated to Honda’s facilities to help the Japanese manufacturer get its power unit program back on track.

One thing after another

What’s clear is that the biggest problems facing Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, and the team have nothing to do with leadership. They’re entirely performance‑related. Honda’s engine is suffering from severe vibration issues that have prevented the drivers from completing full race distances and caused major reliability setbacks throughout preseason testing. And now that the team is finally getting a handle on the failures, another problem has emerged: the engine isn’t delivering standout performance either.

Aston Martin hasn’t scored a single point in 2026 and barely made it through the Shanghai sprint. So the team will welcome the April break after the Japanese Grand Prix — a crucial window to push upgrades at both factories and try to salvage the season.

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