P1racenews AI automatic summary:
1997 Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has made a bold prediction ahead of the upcoming season, one Aston Martin will be hoping is not accurate.
Former F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve predicts that Aston Martin will be the biggest disappointment in the upcoming year, despite the addition of Adrian Newey. Newey, the former Red Bull chief technical officer, is set to join the team on March 3 and will focus on the new car for the 2026 power unit regulations. Team owner Lawrence Stroll has made significant investments in Aston Martin to turn it into a championship contender, including building a new factory and wind tunnel. New team principal Andy Cowell has replaced Mike Krack, who has taken on a new role as chief trackside officer, and Gary Gannon has joined as the new senior race engineer from Haas. Villeneuve believes that while Aston Martin has the potential for improvement, it will take time for Newey’s influence to have an impact. Expectations for the team to immediately start winning may lead to disappointment, as Villeneuve emphasizes that these changes require patience and time to yield results.
