Adrian Newey is expected to attend the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend after missing races since the Australian season opener.
Adrian Newey, Aston Martin's team principal and managing technical partner, has not appeared in the Formula 1 paddock since the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. He is understood to be arriving Thursday evening for the Monaco event. Chief trackside officer Mike Krack confirmed the plans during a pre-weekend media briefing.
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Adrian Newey is set to step down from his role as Aston Martin Formula 1 team principal after a brief tenure to focus on technical matters. He will be replaced by Jonathan Wheatley, Audi's team principal of just one year, as the team grapples with its new Honda power unit's failures under 2026 regulations. This marks the fifth leadership change since Aston Martin entered F1 in 2021.
Formula 1 heads to the streets of Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix, round six of the 2026 season.
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Aston Martin Formula 1 ambassador Pedro de la Rosa stated that Adrian Newey's role as team principal will remain unchanged and that Jonathan Wheatley is not joining the team for now. Wheatley left Audi last Friday citing personal reasons, shortly after reports emerged of a potential move to Aston Martin. De la Rosa emphasized the team's commitment to its current structure amid ongoing performance challenges.
Aston Martin remains the only Formula 1 team without major upgrades to its car since the March Japanese Grand Prix. The team plans to introduce significant updates no earlier than July.
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Experts James Hinchcliffe and Jolyon Palmer view McLaren's major car upgrade for the Miami Grand Prix—announced by team principal Andrea Stella—as a possible season restart, given the team's Miami dominance and rivals' improvements.
Fernando Alonso will sit out Free Practice 1 at Formula 1's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, with Aston Martin's third driver Jak Crawford driving the AMR26 instead. The move complies with F1 regulations mandating rookie driver sessions. Crawford, last year's F2 runner-up, expressed excitement for the opportunity.