(Motorsport-Total.com) – Adrian Newey has lost none of the qualities that made him one of Formula 1’s most successful engineers since his time at McLaren. This is the conclusion reached by Pedro de la Rosa, who has worked with the Briton both during his time as a test driver at McLaren and today at Aston Martin.
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During a media discussion, de la Rosa was asked if he noticed any differences between working with Newey about 20 years ago and today. The Spaniard clearly denied this and recounted an anecdote from earlier years.
“The only difference is actually that, unfortunately, I no longer drive his cars,” explains de la Rosa. “I see no difference in Adrian at all. He works with full commitment. His work ethic is outstanding.”
Newey listens to drivers instead of just data
De la Rosa particularly highlighted how attentively Newey still responds to feedback from his drivers. In an era where data analysis plays an increasingly important role in motorsport, this is by no means a given.
“He is one of those engineers who listens to the driver more than anyone else I have ever worked with,” says de la Rosa. “Nowadays, you sometimes talk to an engineer, and he’s looking at the screen. Then you don’t know if the data is right or you are. Adrian, on the other hand, writes your comments in his notebook.”
When six degrees made the difference
As an example, de la Rosa recounts an anecdote from Friday practice at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix. At that time, a third car was still used in free practice, which the Spaniard drove. After a few laps, Newey had only asked him one question: “Why can’t you go faster in Turn 1?”
De la Rosa then explained that the car understeered heavily on turn-in, which prevented him from carrying more speed. Newey then asked about the approximate steering angle at the apex of the corner. The Spaniard indicated this with his hands.
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“He immediately said: ‘Okay, that’s six degrees’,” de la Rosa reports today. “Then he explained to me that in the wind tunnel you couldn’t go beyond six degrees because the car would then no longer rotate sufficiently and generate the necessary yaw angle.”
The background from today’s perspective
Such a driving situation could hardly be replicated in the 2005 wind tunnel. For that, the model car would have had to be subjected to airflow at a yaw angle, while the wheels were simultaneously turned and rolling on the moving steel belt.
However, at angles greater than six degrees, the systems of the time reached their limits. The tires began to rub sideways on the belt, leading to significant heating and high wear. This is precisely why the aerodynamicists relied on driver feedback in this area.
Small change with big impact
Newey noted the comments at the time and announced that he already had some ideas to solve the problem. These changes to the front wing were implemented as early as the following race. The vehicle subsequently reacted significantly less sensitively to steering inputs.
For de la Rosa, this episode illustrates why Newey enjoys such an exceptional reputation in the paddock. The Briton not only listens attentively but is also able to translate driver feedback into concrete technical improvements.
In the Spaniard’s view, it is precisely this combination that makes Newey an inspiring personality for the entire Aston Martin team and especially for the young engineers of the racing stable.
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