Alonso, pushed to the limit by Newey
There is probably no driver in Formula 1 with greater brain capacity than Fernando Alonso. However, even that does not seem enough for Adrian Newey, who is pushing the veteran Spanish driver from Aston Martin to his limits.
The Formula 1 may seem like a very simple sport where a driver gets into a car and tries to complete x laps of a circuit faster than the rest. Nothing could be further from the truth, as technology, strategy, and numerous variables test the cognitive abilities of the competitors.
In this sense, drivers like Fernando Alonsostand out from the rest, as they are able to compartmentalize their brains to perceive and understand everything happening around them while driving at 100% of their capacity.
"He wants to tell us how that could affect our way of driving the car"
Newey, a superior being
However, Fernando Alonso himself admits to having encountered a superior being who demands his maximum understanding: Adrian Newey.
"He is an incredible person, the best designer in the history of our sport, and everyone in the team is learning a lot from him. You try to understand why he does everything, why he chose that direction or why he responds that way, because there is always something to learn from him," introduces an impressed Fernando Alonso.
"Even from a simple answer he might give you, it can be very clear to him, but why isn't it clear to others?" the Asturian driver wonders. "There are moments when, to understand him, you need to use all your brain capacity. Even if Adrian only uses 5%, we, normal people, need to use much more."
A unique designer
Fernando Alonso had wanted to work with Adrian Newey for many years after having experienced him as a competitor. Now that this desire has been fulfilled, the two-time Formula 1 world champion is very clear that Aston Martin "is heading towards its best moment".
"On the circuit, we do what we can every weekend and there is some fatigue, wanting to finish the season to reset. But in the factory, it is the opposite, everything is focused on 2026 and there is a lot of excitement and a new working method with the teachings that Newey imparts. There is a clearly upward path for Aston Martin," adds.
From the 66-year-old British engineer, Alonso highlights that he is "different compared to everything he had seen so far. Very methodical, but at the same time mystical. With genius. He doesn't have a very marked roadmap, it's all inspiration and that is very interesting from the outside. But he also combines it with the rigor typical of Formula 1 regarding timing, quality, and inspiration. So far, it has been enriching to work with him; we will see next year."
The driver matters
Another aspect that all drivers who have worked with Newey highlight is his need to understand what the driver feels inside the car and what needs he has to extract the maximum from it.
Fernando Alonso reaffirms those words, revealing that "Newey asks questions that concern him in search of the driver's perspective, with this type of car, this type of load, the top speeds we expect to reach, or the moment to cut the battery in the middle of the straights."
The new technical regulations that will come into effect in 2026 will completely change the car, which in turn will impact driving. Something that Newey is determined to anticipate to allow Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll to gain an advantage over their competitors.
"There will be a different dynamic when approaching corners because the car will behave differently, it will be lighter and with different tires," Fernando Alonso explains. "He tries to anticipate the future and thinks about the speed at which you will arrive at a corner in Barcelona and what you would like the car to do, more front end, more rear end, more braking power. He asks all these questions because he is already visualizing the part of the car he wants to change to make you more comfortable."
Very close collaboration
Fernando Alonso has already been impressed, but his personal and professional relationship with Adrian Newey is still in its early stages. The Asturian points out that their "meetings have been very informal and general about the regulations. We haven't gone into deep details about anything."
"Obviously, he is curious to know our feelings and our understanding of things. Maybe he is going in one direction and only wants to tell us how that could affect our way of driving the car and ask us if we had any experience of that in the past and this kind of things," Alonso expands, reiterating his surprise at the commitment Newey has made to Aston Martin.
"At this moment, he is very focused. He is always in his office, at his drawing board, simply focused on getting results. We will go into more details when the car is in a more developed phase," he concludes.
Fuente: Aston Martin / As.comFotos: Aston Martin F1
