Newey Bows Deeply to Verstappen: "He Didn’t Have an Easy Childhood"

Adrian Newey has once again expressed his deep admiration for Max Verstappen. The legendary engineer, long regarded as the mastermind behind Red Bull’s success, sees in the Dutchman a rare mix of raw talent and mental toughness. Although Newey no longer works directly with Verstappen since leaving Red Bull mid-2024, his respect for the world champion remains as strong as ever.

A Golden Partnership

The collaboration between Newey and Verstappen was one of the most successful partnerships in modern Formula 1. From their dominant seasons together between 2021 and 2024, the duo won nearly everything there was to win. Looking back, Newey says working with Verstappen was both rewarding and inspiring.

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Newey Praises Verstappen’s Strength

According to Newey, Verstappen represents the perfect balance of maturity and resilience. The 65-year-old designer witnessed firsthand how the Dutchman grew into a relentless yet composed competitor. “He didn’t have an easy childhood, that’s no secret,” Newey revealed in the James Allen on F1 podcast. “But it’s exactly that which made him so mentally strong.”

Newey especially admires how Verstappen handles pressure — something that, in his eyes, sets him apart from the rest of the grid. “What impresses me the most is how he can completely shut out the outside world,” Newey explained. “No matter what’s happening in his life, once he puts his helmet on and gets into the car, everything else disappears. He focuses entirely on extracting the maximum from himself and the car. That’s what separates the truly great drivers from everyone else.”

Newey’s Next Chapter with Aston Martin

Though his time at Red Bull has ended, Newey hasn’t slowed down. According to Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, the British engineer is “working in a kind of trance” on the team’s car for 2026, when the new Formula 1 engine regulations come into effect. Aston Martin aims to become a full-fledged factory team, powered by Honda engines and backed by cutting-edge infrastructure.

The ambitions in Silverstone are sky-high. A brand-new factory, a state-of-the-art wind tunnel, and one of the greatest technical minds in motorsport form the backbone of Aston Martin’s next chapter. With a staggering 26 world titles to his name — 14 with drivers and 12 with constructors — Newey knows better than anyone what it takes to build a champion. And if all goes according to plan, his next success story may not come from Milton Keynes, but from Silverstone.