Fernando Alonso responds to Adrian Newey rumours as next F1 move awaits

Fernando Alonso and Adrian Newey.

Fernando Alonso said it is a “privilege” that Adrian Newey is being linked to Aston Martin, as the Formula 1 design guru prepares to depart Red Bull.

Newey will officially leave Red Bull after the first quarter of 2025, meaning at that point he will be a free agent and there is not thought to be any shortage of interest in his services.

Fernando Alonso excited ‘legend’ Adrian Newey linked to Aston Martin

While Ferrari has been widely speculated as the next destination for Newey should he have another F1 career chapter to write, that is not the only team reported to be chasing Newey, with the Aston Martin links also well established, team owner Lawrence Stroll having reportedly met with Adrian Newey at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to table a “big money” offer.

And Alonso was clear that it is “good news” to see Newey being linked with an Aston Martin move.

“He’s a legend of the sport and first of all I feel privileged to drive in this moment in Formula 1 and the last 20 years, sharing the sport with Adrian, obviously as a competitor,” he told Formula 1.

“And it’s a privilege. To be linked with Aston Martin is already a good sign and good news for us that a legend of the sport and Aston Martin are linked somehow.”

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack claimed widespread discussions across the grid started with Newey upon – or perhaps even before – his impending Red Bull exit was made official.

“When someone like that is available on the market, I think eight teams started discussions immediately, or maybe even before,” he told Formula 1, “so this is internal discussion and also discussions with him and the people around him.

“It will be quite interesting to see how this is going to wrestle out.”

Pressed on whether Aston Martin are among the interested teams, Krack clarified: “Always. Everybody is interested.”

Will Adrian Newey join another Formula 1 team?

The key Ferrari design change that hints at Adrian Newey’s imminent arrival

‘I can give my life on that’ – Eddie Jordan denies latest Adrian Newey next team rumours

Newey, speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast, revealed that never having the chance to work with Alonso or Lewis Hamilton serves as a career regret, though he has the opportunity to banish one of those should he return to F1, either with Aston Martin to work with Alonso, or at Ferrari where Hamilton will race from F1 2025.

Asked if he regrets turning down Ferrari in the past, having done so during his IndyCar career, 1993 and 2014, Newey replied: “Emotionally, I guess, to a point. Yes.

“But just as, for instance, working with Fernando and Lewis would have been fabulous. But it never happened. It’s just circumstance sometimes, that’s the way it is.”

Both Alonso and Hamilton will be into multi-year deals with Aston Martin and Ferrari respectively once Newey becomes a free agent during F1 2025.

Read next: Carlos Sainz and Red Bull plot twist emerges with Christian Horner ‘clear winner’