20/06/2024
NEWS STORY
Fernando Alonso gives nothing away amidst speculation linking Adrian Newey to Aston Martin.
No sooner has Tom Rubython informed the world that Adrian Newey signed a three-year contract with Ferrari worth $107m ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, than it is being claimed that the British design guru has visited Aston Martin's Silverstone HQ.
Newey is known to have been made an offer by Lawrence Stroll earlier this year, at a time the Horner saga was just breaking. Now, however, it is claimed that, having confirmed that he is leaving Red Bull at season end, the design guru made a secret visit to the team's HQ recently to check out its facilities.
Such was the demand for secrecy that it is understood all staff were asked to leave the facility during the visit, which in itself would understandably lead to all manner of speculation.
Speaking in Barcelona today, Fernando Alonso was giving nothing away, indeed he played down the speculation.
"I read the rumours, I read the news," he told reporters. "But is this coming from the same source and the same website of one week ago he was in Ferrari and there would be an announcement at 12 o'clock before the Canada race," he smiled.
Asked what he would say to the British design guru to tempt him to join the team, the two-time world champion said: "That's between him and me."
Fact is, while the Spaniard, understandably, has made no secret of his desire to work with Newey, the Briton admitted earlier this year that not having worked with him, or indeed Lewis Hamilton, was one of his regrets.
"Working with Fernando and Lewis would have been fabulous," he admitted. "But it never happened. It's just circumstance sometimes, that's the way it is."
Other than Ferrari and Aston Martin, Newey, who has always shunned offers to work outside the UK, has been linked with a return to Williams.