One of the the greatest technical masterminds of his generation, Adrian Newey, has committed his long-term future to Aston Martin following his departure from Red Bull.
The 65-year-old Briton's sudden decision to end his near two-decade association with Red Bull sparked a bidding war for his services – with Ferrari among those interested in landing the man who has played a significant role in 13 drivers' world championships and a dozen constructors' titles with three different teams.
But Newey elected to join Aston Martin, in a move which could see him earn in the region of £20million a year. He joins as managing technical partner and will also become a shareholder.
Aston Martin's ambitious billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll has bankrolled Newey's signing in a move he hopes will execute his world championship dream.
"I am thrilled to be joining Aston Martin," said Newey. "I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with.
"Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport. His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new Aston Martin Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in.
"They have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal."
At Aston Martin, Newey – who will be free to start from March 1 – will team up with Stroll's 25-year-old son, Lance, and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 43, who is under contract until the end of 2026.
"This is huge news," said Lawrence Stroll, 65. "Adrian is the best in the world at what he does – he is at the top of his game – and I am incredibly proud that he is joining Aston Martin.
"It's the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships."
The announcement is likely to come as a blow to Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton, who called on compatriot Newey to join him at the Italian team next year, claiming it would be a "privilege" to work with him.
Stroll continued: "As soon as Adrian became available, we knew we had to make it happen. Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Adrian is a racer and one of the most competitive people I have ever met. When he saw what we have built at Silverstone, he quickly understood what we are trying to achieve.
"We mean business – and so does he. Adrian shares our hunger and ambition, he believes in this project, and he will help us write the next chapter in Aston Martin's Formula One story."
Newey has won world championships at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. Max Verstappen had looked on course to waltz a fourth consecutive title this season, but the Dutchman has seen his lead reduced to 62 points with eight races remaining.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was recently forced to deny that Newey's departure, announced in May, has contributed to Red Bull's recent slump, which leaves Verstappen heading to this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku without a win from his last six appearances.
