Eddie Jordan details Adrian Newey’s “long discussions” with Ferrari over possible move

Eddie Jordan has confirmed Adrian Newey had “long discussions” with Ferrari over a possible move before deciding to join Aston Martin.

Newey’s move to Aston Martin was announced on Tuesday ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a flashy unveiling at the team’s headquarters at Silverstone.

When his departure was announced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Newey’s name was immediately linked to Ferrari.

Ferrari were thought to be the favourites to sign Newey, particularly as they had just signed Lewis Hamilton, forming a potential ‘superteam’.

However, Aston Martin ultimately won his signature, ultimately joining the team on a full-time basis in 2025.

Jordan, who is Newey’s manager, explained why the legendary F1 designer opted for Aston Martin over Ferrari.

“The fact he’s yet to work with Lewis [Hamilton] or Fernando [Alonso] - was important he tried to see what would happen, Lewis going to Ferrari, of course, we had long discussions with Ferrari, but Aston Martin and Fernando was the one that came back to give what Adrian feels was, if you like, juice to his challenges,” Jordan said on the Formula for Success podcast.

“He wanted to see how he could get a team just like Red Bull, from the top five up to the top drawer. And here’s a team that I believe is now going to be on the move. It’ll be interesting and exciting to see how it unfolds.

“And I have to believe that in the future this has the opportunity and the success that the willingness that somebody like a private team like Aston Martin in the hands of Lawrence Stroll, managed and controlled and engineered by Adrian Newey, has the most unbelievable opportunity to be one of the great teams of the great future.”

Not only will Newey be in charge of Aston Martin’s technical team, he is a shareholder in the company, giving him more power and responsibility within an F1 team than ever before.

Jordan believes this was a decisive factor in Newey choosing Aston Martin.

“One of them was the position which is total control, responsibility which he’s never really had with other team principals and other shareholding people, people. This is what it offers,” he added. “It offers him a shareholding, a position of total responsibility of control, a board position and partnership with Lawrence Stroll. Quite clearly that is very different to what has happened before.

“I can imagine and assume that this is a team that perhaps is very similar to where he was when he joined Red Bull. They were a top five team just like Aston Martin is with huge vision, a huge desire from the owner, with Didi Mateschitz and of course, Lawrence at Aston.

“Both in my opinion are very similar types of people, hugely successful entrepreneurial people who have a great mindset, passion, a belief and total devotion to what success is all about. I think this is what will be delivered in time by Adrian, to the team at Aston Martin.”