'I'm an Aston Martin F1 driver – here's why Adrian Newey has only spoken to me once'

Aston Martin test and reserve driver Felipe Drugovich has claimed that legendary aerodynamicist Adrian Newey is 'not sharing' his work with the broader team, as he prepares for the new Formula 1 technical regulations.

Newey was lured away from Red Bull in September 2024, bringing to an end an 18-year association with the Milton Keynes outfit that delivered eight drivers' championship titles and six constructors' championship crowns. He took up his duties at the start of March, tasked with designing the first Aston Martin car being built to the new technical regulations which come into force in 2026.

To that end, he is undoubtedly busy even the team's test driver Drugovich says he has had very little contact with Newey. The Brazilian racer told
he has only encountered the 66-year-old once over the course of this season.

"So, literally all the contact that I had with him was in Silverstone, when he went to the track," he said ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix. "And I presented myself, I said, 'Nice to meet you' – and that was all the contact I had.

"I think it was everything I ever spoke to him. But I think that's also a good thing, though, because he is really focused on what he's doing. He's not really talking to anyone in the team.

"No-one knows what he's doing... I mean, everyone knows what he's doing, but he's not actually, you know, sharing with anyone, which is good, you know, he's actually very focused on that. And because of that, I also expect Aston to do pretty well next year."

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Whilst the 2026 season will finally see Newey's inaugural Aston Martin machine take to the circuit, Drugovich will begin his own fresh journey. The 25-year-old will take up his first permanent motorsport position since claiming the Formula 2 title in 2022, putting pen to paper with Andretti's Formula E squad.

The Brazilian made his FE bow in Berlin earlier this year, securing 17th and seventh places for Mahindra during a turbulent weekend whilst standing in for Nyck de Vries. Now, with a permanent drive secured, Drugovich can concentrate on establishing a sustained career in the championship.

"I think it changes a lot of mindsets, you know, going to a race like this," he explained. "If you go through a one-off race, you need to do everything that you can, just go out there and push like a crazy man and try to show some speed and as much as I can, even though you don't know how to drive the car. And I think now it's a different thing.

"It's something that I really need to take in a bit slower and actually learn through the process a little bit more. And actually just thinking a little bit more in the long term. I think that's what's really going to give me lots of performance in the future. And instead of just jumping straight in and doing everything in a rush, just trying to actually do as good as I can in such a short time, like I did in my earlier races in this series."