Adrian Newey is considered a luminary in Formula 1 development – but how does he develop his ideas to create the best Formula 1 car?
“Most of the time, it’s an ongoing process,” Formula 1 engineer Adrian Newey told Auto Motor und Sport about his work in the premier class. The creator of the world championship cars from Williams, McLaren and Red Bull is working for Aston Martin in the 2025 season and will be involved in the development of the 2026 car under the new regulations. But how does the Brit come up with his ideas to make a difference in Formula 1?
The 66-year-old relies on the latest technologies, especially in the field of aerodynamics: “CFD is a great tool for visualizing the process, because it allows you to understand the flow better than in the old days when all you had was the wind tunnel and wool threads. CFD is about understanding the structure of the vortices or the loss of pressure fields.”
But Newey doesn’t try to develop solutions at all costs. Sometimes, he says, when he hits a dead end, he just lets his work rest. “Then new ideas come to me, sometimes annoyingly in the middle of the night. Then I feel like I have to get up and write this down immediately so I don’t forget it.”
But Newey doesn’t do that to himself: “I used to do that, and then I’d wish I hadn’t sacrificed my sleep in the morning because it wasn’t worth it. Today, when I wake up, I think if it’s a good idea, I’ll remember it in the morning.” This is not easy for the top engineer, who repeatedly has to resist working at night. Sometimes he catches himself taking notes.
During the day, Newey takes all the time he needs: “Sometimes I go for a walk or have a coffee, because sometimes it’s easier to take a short break and then get back to work. It could be a shower or other everyday things. But usually I develop the first ideas, the basic concept, during that time. I’m freer then, but sometimes something unexpected comes out of it.”
A sheet of paper and a pen are still part of Newey’s basic equipment in the grid today. ”I usually look at what the others are doing. Then I go back to the factory and say: ‘Look at that, it could be worth copying’.” But sometimes the Brit also simply makes a note of the directions the teams are moving in. Then he asks himself what goals they are pursuing with their solutions. According to Newey, it’s not about details.
