Aston Martin is set to part ways with one of the team’s key figures, formerly of Mercedes, and Ferrari should move quickly to secure his talents. Here’s who this profile is and why the Scuderia must not let him slip away.
Many changes are underway in Aston Martin’s sporting management, with several significant departures and arrivals. Ferrari knows perfectly well that getting off to a strong start under this new regulatory cycle is crucial to avoid falling behind again. The scenarios if the Scuderia were to lag too far behind the front runners could be catastrophic, potentially triggering yet another internal revolution. However, the new F1 cars still need to cover many kilometers, and the first real opportunity to do so will be in Bahrain, starting tomorrow (11–13 February). Aston Martin must not let one key figure leave—the Chief Strategy Officer, Andy Cowell.
Cowell leaving Aston Martin in June
According to PlanetF1.com, Andy Cowell is expected to leave Aston Martin by the end of the year following a change in his role within the team. The engineer was able to lead the team as CEO and Team Principal throughout 2025, but then Adrian Newey took over as TP. The British engineer is reportedly ready to depart definitively in June 2026 due to a lack of alignment with his new role. After Cowell became such a prominent figure in the team—having even acquired some shares of the ‘green car’—tensions arose. Following his reassignment as Chief Strategy Officer, the move was inevitably perceived as a demotion, straining his relationship with the team.
Why Ferrari should act
Cowell was one of the main minds behind Mercedes’ dominant hybrid engines, eventually becoming CEO at the Brackley-based team. After his role change at Aston Martin, both parties agreed that his skills would be essential in developing the new Honda Power Unit alongside Aramco and Valvoline. Andy Cowell’s expertise could therefore help make significant progress with the Japanese manufacturer, which, as Fernando Alonso has noted, is behind in engine performance. If these rumors prove true, Ferrari should not miss the opportunity to bring in a figure who was key at Mercedes and later at Aston Martin. His expertise could be of great benefit to Ferrari’s engine department, currently led by Enrico Gualtieri. We will see if any moves are made…
The potential availability of Andy Cowell therefore represents a golden opportunity for Ferrari to bolster its technical leadership at the dawn of the 2026 engine era. While Cowell’s reported friction at Aston Martin stems from a leadership reshuffle involving Adrian Newey, his unparalleled track record with hybrid power units makes him a strategic asset that any top-tier team would covet. For Ferrari, securing a mastermind of his caliber could be the final piece of the puzzle needed to ensure the 067/6 power unit remains competitive against the field, effectively turning a rival’s organizational “shock” into Maranello’s long-term gain.
