Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has criticised Adrian Newey’s decision to take on the role of Aston Martin team principal, arguing the legendary designer’s talents are being wasted in a management position.
Newey joined Aston Martin in 2025 as managing technical partner and shareholder after nearly two decades at Red Bull. In November 2025, the Silverstone outfit announced Newey would also assume team principal duties for 2026, replacing Andy Cowell, who moved to chief strategy officer.
The move has raised eyebrows as Aston Martin struggles through the opening rounds of the 2026 season with a troubled car, sitting 11th in the constructors’ championship with zero points after four races.
“That Is Not Where His Strength Is”
On the Drive to Wynn podcast, Steiner was blunt when asked whether Newey should have stepped into the additional role.
“No. And I think if you would ask Adrian here, he would say, ‘I don’t know why I did this or why I agreed to this.’ I don’t know how it happened, if he wanted to be the team principal or not.”
Steiner, who led Haas from its F1 debut in 2016 until his departure in early 2024, suggested Newey may not have fully understood the demands of the team principal position before accepting it.
“But obviously, that is not where his strength is. He’s very good at what he’s doing, which is designing cars. I mean, obviously not the Aston Martin at the moment, but he will fix it. But, for him, going in there was like why the hell that… I think it was an alien thing or I need to be team principal, not knowing what the team principal actually is or what it means to be the team principal and that didn’t last long.”
Despite acknowledging Aston Martin’s current struggles with the new 2026-spec car, Steiner expressed confidence that Newey would eventually resolve the technical issues — provided he can focus on his core expertise.
A Lesson in Over-Promotion
Steiner used the situation as an example of a broader principle in team management: placing people where their skills are strongest rather than promoting them beyond their natural capabilities.
“Again, it shows that you should always put the people where their strength is, never over-promote them.”
The timing of Newey’s dual role has coincided with Aston Martin’s difficult adaptation to the 2026 regulations, which introduced sweeping changes including new chassis rules, heavily electrified power units, and active aerodynamics. The team’s partnership with Honda as engine supplier has so far failed to deliver competitive performance.
Aston Martin’s Uphill Battle
Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin team faces mounting pressure as it works through a raft of technical problems with its 2026 challenger. The car has proven uncompetitive across the opening four rounds, leaving the team at the bottom of the constructors’ standings alongside Cadillac, F1’s newest entrant.
Whether Newey can engineer a turnaround while juggling team principal responsibilities remains to be seen. Steiner’s comments suggest the design legend may need to refocus on what he does best — drawing fast cars — if Aston Martin is to salvage its 2026 campaign.
The team faces its next test at the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23-25, where the tight street circuit will offer little room for error and could further expose the AMR26’s weaknesses.