ANALYSIS: How Lawrence Stroll fended off the competition to snap up ‘bargain’ Adrian Newey

Lawrence Stroll won the biggest battle of his career as he fended off the competition to sign Adrian Newey, the greatest designer in the history of Formula 1. But how did he do it?

It was difficult to keep the smile off Stroll’s face as he welcomed Newey onto stage for the announcement at his team’s new state-of-the-art multi-million-pound headquarters over the road from Silverstone in Northampton on Tuesday morning.

He held out his hand for Newey, then pulled him in for a bear hug. Stroll had got the person he knows can be the difference between him turning Aston Martin into world champions and them becoming also-rans destined never to make it to the front.

Newey’s signing is the latest in the string of big-name technical appointments that include Mercedes engine guru Andy Cowell, Ferrari tech chief Enrico Cardile and Newey’s old Red Bull team mate Dan Fallows – but there is no doubt he is the biggest.

SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: Adrian Newey and Lawrence Stroll, Owner, Aston Martin F1 Team, — Lawrence Stroll pulled Adrian Newey in for a bear hug on stage as the F1 design guru was announced

“Adrian is key, key, key, and the biggest part of the puzzle, certainly from a technical point of view, from a technical leadership point of view,” said Stroll. “He will be leading the team and I think that will have a trickle-down effect through the whole organisation.”

The pursuit

Stroll’s real pursuit of Newey didn’t start until April, when he found out the legendary designer was leaving Red Bull – but he had started building the relationship nearly a decade go when they would bump into each other in the gym.

At races around the world, particularly in the Middle East, the duo would find themselves training at the same time in hotel gyms and it is there they got to know each other. So, it wasn’t a complete cold call when Stroll got in touch this year in a bid to tempt him over.

He knew there would be rivals for his signature. Ferrari was his biggest threat given Newey had said in the past that he’d love to work for the Italian manufacturer and that he’d be keen to work with Lewis Hamilton, who is heading there from Mercedes next season. But there was also interest from Alpine, Williams and Audi.

So, Stroll threw everything at it – as he did when he signed four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and when he did a deal in a matter of hours with double world champion Fernando Alonso to steal him from Alpine.

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He told the entire Aston Martin staff due to come in on the Sunday before the Canadian Grand Prix to stay at home so Newey could have a private tour of the factory and see what he was building.

Newey could see firsthand that Stroll meant business. Whatever it took from a resource perspective, Stroll was committed to delivering.

Everything about the place is world class from the new wind tunnel due to come online at the end of the season, and the in-loop simulator, to the gym and spinning room – which has classes twice a day.

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Newey’s interest was clear – and simultaneously, interest from Ferrari began to ease off – so Stroll upped his game, offering the designer a chance to become a “shareholder and a partner”.

Remarkably, this was the first time Newey had been offered a stake in a team, the chance of ownership – and it was something he craved. As Newey told me when we chatted on Tuesday – he’s now got “skin in the game” and that’s very motivating.

SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO, Aston Martin Performance — Adrian Newey has a team of highly talented individuals at his disposal at Aston Martin

"Adrian is a bargain"

Aside from Stroll, Newey is set to be the most powerful and influential person in the company. He has the world’s best resources at his disposal and a team of highly talented individuals and, critically, the autonomy to be creative so he can do whatever it takes to make this team world champions.

But he’s not taking it lightly. He’ll be in the building every day – though he hasn’t yet picked the room that’ll house that famous drawing board – when he kicks off work on 1 March and will be fully focused on Formula 1.

At least for the foreseeable future, there’ll be no distractions from other projects – like hypercars or the Americas’ Cup – and nor does he want them because Stroll has offered Newey the ultimate project.

And that’s why Newey couldn’t say no, a late big money bid from Alpine coming too late.

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Once he decided, along with his wife Amanda, that he would put off retirement and sailing around the world on his yacht for a little longer, because he craved another F1 project, it quickly became clear Aston Martin offered him the next step in his career and the right project.

For Stroll, he’s got his man as he almost always does – and the cost is irrelevant.

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“I can tell you Adrian is a bargain,” he said. “I’ve been in business for 40 years now and I’ve never been more certain.”

Everything Newey has touched has turned to gold – the veteran designer winning 25 world championships with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. Stroll is banking on Aston Martin getting the same treatment.