Reports suggest Lawrence Stroll is angling to sign Christian Horner to lead Aston Martin’s Formula 1 team amid rumours of unrest between Andy Cowell and Adrian Newey.
Cowell, who spearheaded Mercedes’ turbo-hybrid success, joined the Silverstone-based squad last July.
At the beginning of the 2025 campaign, Stroll Sr. promoted the Briton to head the team’s F1 operations as Team Principal, with Mike Krack making way.
Now, it seems as though Cowell’s time at the helm of Aston Martin may be coming to an abrupt end, with rumours suggesting quarrels with Newey.
Reports strongly indicate Cowell’s departure as imminent with Newey, who joined the team in April as its Managing Technical Partner, being at loggerheads with him.
It would appear that neither is willing to relinquish ultimate control over the team’s F1 operations as it gears up to tackle the 2026 regulations reset.
According to the BBC, Stroll has reportedly already made his allegiance with Newey clear, though no final decision has been taken yet.
While no replacement has been confirmed as of now, Horner, who was sacked by Red Bull earlier this year, is being touted as the favourite to land the role.
Horner has been pushing for a leadership role within the paddock ever since his dismissal from the Milton Keynes-based squad.
Stroll also seems to be willing to offer a shareholding stake to the Briton – akin to the arrangement that helped him acquire Newey’s coveted services.
That said, with Newey’s own Red Bull departure being linked with a potential fallout with Horner, nothing is set in stone as yet.
Stroll is also being suggested to have approached former McLaren boss Andreas Seidl, current Audi chief Mattia Binotto, and ex-CEO Martin Whitmarsh.
“The team will not be engaging in rumour or speculation. The focus is on maximising performance in the remaining races and preparing for 2026,” an Aston Martin spokesperson said.
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