Aston Martin has pulled off a massive coup by securing the services of Formula 1’s most highly-rated designer, Adrian Newey. The 65-year-old confirmed in May he had agreed to leave Red Bull at the beginning of next year. Ferrari was understood to be among the teams vying for his services.
However Newey has turned down the opportunity to form a ‘super-team’ at the Scuderia with seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Mercedes has finally confirmed its long-expected decision to promote 18-year-old junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to its Formula 1 team next year. The Italian rookie will make his grand prix debut in the seat previously occupied by the most successful driver in the sport’s history, seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, when he leaves Mercedes to join Ferrari. The team made its announcement despite Antonelli’s unpromising start to his F1 career yesterday. Driving his future team mate George Russell’s car in the first practice session, he crashed heavily after just five laps.
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Australian Jack Doohan will make his Formula 1 debut with Alpine in 2025 after being promoted from his role as reserve driver. The 21-year-old son of five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan will partner Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who has raced for Alpine since 2023. Doohan replaces Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who has moved to Haas after he and Alpine announced they would split.
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Alpine has confirmed Oliver Oakes will take over from Bruno Famin in charge of its Formula 1 team at the end of August. Oakes, 36, will become the youngest current principal of a Formula 1 team. The former racing driver currently runs Hitech, which he founded in 2015, and now competes in Formula 2, Formula 3, GB3 and British Formula 4.
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Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz is to join Williams next season on what the team calls a “multi-year” contract. The 29-year-old Spaniard has lost his seat at Ferrari after the team decided to sign Lewis Hamilton, who arrives next year. Sainz has picked Williams over other opportunities at Alpine and Sauber, which will become Audi’s factory effort in 2026. Sainz has won three grands prix since joining Ferrari in 2021 and was the only non Red Bull driver to win a race last season.
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