Adrian Newey says Fernando Alonso is in a “difficult mental place” due to Aston Martin’s problems

Newey’s Red Bull cars prevented Alonso from winning at least two more titles, when he was at Ferrari in 2010 and 2012, and the two have long wanted to work together.

Aston Martin signed on to become Honda’s business partner in May 2023, while the Japanese company was on its way to winning four consecutive drivers’ titles and two constructors’ championships with Red Bull.

Newey, a design legend who is considered the best aerodynamics engineer in Formula One history, said Honda’s problems go back to its decision to withdraw from Formula One in 2021, but it changed its mind based on new rules that will be introduced this year.

Newey, who joined Aston Martin in March last year, said he and the team did not learn of Honda’s problems until November, when he, team owner Lawrence Stroll and strategy director Andy Coyle visited Honda’s Tokyo base to “discuss rumours” that the Japanese company would “not achieve” its “original power target”.

He added: “As a result of this came the fact that many of the original workforce did not return when they were re-employed.

“When they reformed, a lot of the original group has now disbanded and gone to work on solar panels or something else.

“A lot of the group members were new to Formula 1 and had no previous experience.

He continued: “In addition, when they came back in 2023 that was the first year to put a cap on the engine budget.

“All their rivals were evolving during 2021-2022, with continuity, the current squad and no budget cap.

“They’re back in at, I think, only 30% of their original core staff and now in the budget cap era, so they’ve pretty much started to fall behind and unfortunately they haven’t been able to catch up.”