Andy Cowell to leave Aston Martin after role change under Adrian Newey

Andy Cowell, the former CEO and team principal of Aston Martin, is set to depart the team later this year following a significant demotion in his role after Adrian Newey took over as team principal. The split, described as acrimonious, stems from a fundamental misalignment with Newey on design philosophy and team leadership dynamics.

Why it matters:

The departure of a high-profile engineering leader like Cowell, who was instrumental in Mercedes' dominant hybrid era, signals significant internal turbulence at Aston Martin. It underscores the challenges of integrating two of Formula 1's most powerful technical minds under one roof and raises questions about the stability of the team's leadership structure as it transitions to a new Honda power unit in 2026.

The details:

• Cowell led Aston Martin as CEO and team principal throughout 2025 but was moved to the role of chief strategy officer in late 2025 when Newey, a minority shareholder, appointed himself team principal.
• Sources indicate the role change, seen as a clear demotion, soured the relationship, with Cowell expected to leave entirely by June 2026.
• The friction reportedly stems from a lack of alignment between Cowell and Newey on a wide range of design topics and leadership structure, a clash between a powertrain-focused leader and an aerodynamics maestro.
• Cowell was a major hire for Lawrence Stroll in 2024, tempted back to F1 by heavy investment in facilities. His own management move included replacing former team principal Mike Krack.
• Just two months after Cowell's arrival, Stroll brought in Newey as managing technical partner, placing the legendary designer in a more powerful position.

What's next:

With Cowell's expertise now focused on optimizing technical partnerships with Honda, Aramco, and Valvoline—a role that will diminish after the 2026 power unit homologation on March 1st—the team's future technical direction rests firmly with Newey. However, Newey has emphasized that car design remains his priority, not the day-to-day team principal duties, potentially setting the stage for another leadership change in the future as Aston Martin aims to leverage its star-studded technical lineup into on-track success.