Adrian Newey shares his thoughts on which F1 teams will struggle under the new 2026 rules

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With the 2025 Formula 1 season now at its midway point, teams have shifted their focus towards next year’s car development.

Next season introduces the new 2026 regulations, which are expected to bring some of the most significant changes the sport has ever seen.

This includes a complete overhaul of chassis design and aerodynamics systems for every team on the grid.

Teams are also working on new power units, with a much greater emphasis on electrical power than before.

Aston Martin are banking on these major shifts to propel them beyond the midfield and into contention for podiums, victories, and potentially future title fights. The team’s last top-three finish came through Fernando Alonso at the 2023 São Paulo GP, while Lance Stroll hasn’t stood on the podium since 2020.

Chairman Lawrence Stroll has been aggressive in his efforts to build Aston Martin into a contender. One of his biggest moves was bringing in Adrian Newey from Red Bull.

The legendary designer has already started sharing his thoughts on what we can expect from next year’s regulations.

Adrian Newey predicts teams will have a tough time adapting to 2026 F1 rules

Newey spent some time looking over McLaren’s setup during the British Grand Prix, hoping to pick up a few ideas from the team leading the way this season.

He then made his way to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he spoke with F1 commentator Harry Benjamin about how things are shaping up at Aston Martin ahead of next year’s major rule changes.

“Well, I’m the last dinosaur in the industry that still uses a drawing board, that’s true,” Newey said when asked about how things were progressing. “For me, it’s just a language, it’s a way of developing thoughts from in here on to a medium and evolving them from there.”

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He went on to add: “The new regulations are a huge challenge. It’s the first time I think ever where there’s been a change in chassis regulations and power unit regulations at the same time.

“So, all the teams will be struggling to kind of understand how to best integrate those two changes.”

When asked if these challenges gave him fresh motivation, he replied: “It does. I do find regulation changes stimulating.

“There’s an opportunity for new ideas, [it’s] the same for everybody. So, I’m not saying, therefore, we’re going to do something spectacular at all, but I think it is a stimulation.”

Adrian Newey’s early work at Aston Martin is already turning heads

Adrian Newey officially arrived at Aston Martin in March 2025, and although his main assignment is the 2026 project, he’s already influenced the current campaign. From refining Alonso’s setup to actively contributing to AMR25 discussions, his presence has been strongly felt.

Ahead of the British GP, reports suggested Newey was the last one in the design office late into the night – a sign of his dedication. And if a figure of his stature labels 2026 a “huge challenge,” it highlights the scale of the task facing the grid.

There’s plenty of anticipation around what Newey might achieve with Aston Martin next season, but there will also be interest in how Red Bull handles their first major regulation change without him.

Given Red Bull’s uneven progress since his departure, it’s no surprise that Max Verstappen is reportedly weighing up his options for the future.