Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Adrian Newey missed the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix because of a reported health problem that required hospital treatment, adding another layer of concern at Aston Martin as the team’s troubled 2026 season continues without a point.
The explanation for his absence came from the Daily Mail, in a report by journalist Jonathan McEvoy citing an informed source. The report said Newey had been dealing with illness for several weeks, was recovering during the Miami weekend, and is now working mainly from home in Sunninghill, Berkshire. It also said his recovery is expected to take some weeks.
That absence has drawn more attention because Newey is central to Aston Martin’s attempt to recover from a poor first campaign under Formula 1’s new regulations. His last reported trackside appearance was the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8, and Miami came with the team already under pressure for a start well below expectations.
Aston Martin declined to comment on Newey’s condition when approached, but said he remained at work. In a team statement issued through its spokesperson after contact from the Daily Mail, the team said: “We do not comment on personal matters relating to any members of our team. Adrian is working and was at the factory last week.”
The timing matters because Aston Martin’s performance problems are becoming harder to hide. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are still on zero points in the championship, and their Miami race underlined the scale of the slump. Alonso finished 15th and Stroll 17th, with one report describing them as fighting at the very back against Cadillac F1.
The team’s lack of competitiveness has been linked in the reports to unresolved vibration problems with the Honda power unit, a weakness that has left Aston Martin stuck near the rear of the field. With a three-week gap before the Canadian Grand Prix, Newey’s recovery and his role in trying to pull the team out of its early-season hole will stay under close scrutiny.