{"id":562544,"date":"2026-03-25T04:07:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/562544\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T04:07:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T04:07:12","slug":"japanese-grand-prix-latest-news-helmut-marko-says-things-arent-going-well-for-adrian-newey-at-aston-martin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/562544\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Grand Prix latest news, Helmut Marko says things aren\u2019t going well for Adrian Newey at Aston Martin"},"content":{"rendered":"

All eyes will be on Aston Martin at this weekend\u2019s Japanese Grand Prix at beleaguered works partner Honda\u2019s home circuit.<\/p>\n

Suzuka is one of Formula 1\u2019s most iconic and demanding tracks, but given the state of Aston Martin\u2019s 2026 challenger, it would be a miracle to see either car finish what\u2019s expected to be an embarrassing homecoming for the Honda-powered operation.<\/p>\n

Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship\u2122 LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It will be a happier weekend for Mercedes, meanwhile, with two victories so far shared equally among its drivers \u2014 though the team\u2019s handling of Andrea Kimi Antonelli\u2019s first win in China wasn\u2019t to everyone\u2019s taste.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, several teams have teased special one-off Japanese Grand Prix liveries in celebration of one of Formula 1\u2019s favourite races.<\/p>\n

HELMUT MARKO ISSUES ADRIAN NEWEY UPDATE<\/p>\n

Former Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko has weighed into the Aston Martin competitive crisis overseen by former colleague Adrian Newey.<\/p>\n

Newey had been Red Bull Racing\u2019s long-time chief technical officer before quitting the team in 2024. He became Aston Martin\u2019s managing technical partner last year, where the Lawrence Stroll-owned team has hoped the famed designer can turn it into a race-winning operation.<\/p>\n

All eyes will be on Aston Martin at this weekend\u2019s Japanese Grand Prix after Adrian Newey took a step back.Source: AFP<\/p>\n

Newey was subsequently elevated to team principal for 2026, but his first full season with the team has been disastrous. Neither car has yet been classified at the finish of a grand prix thanks largely to its troubled Honda power unit.<\/p>\n

The problems, though, could run deeper than just the engine. There are known issues with the gearbox \u2014 the Silverstone\u2019s first in-house unit in almost two decades \u2014 and though Newey claims the chassis is worthy of Q3, the argument has been impossible to test.<\/p>\n

PIT TALK PODCAST: Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley leaves his job less than a year after moving to Hinwil. Is a switch to Aston Martin now on the cards? And we look ahead to this weekend\u2019s Japanese Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

Speaking to OE24, Marko, who left Red Bull\u2019s F1 program suddenly at the end of last year<\/a>, said the signs were grim.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had contact with [Newey],\u201d he said. \u201cHe is not doing well [at Aston Martin].<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are problems with this project that will not be solved so quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speculation is now mounting that Newey will step down from the team principal position<\/a> to focus on leading the technical office, with former Audi boss Jonathan Wheatley tipped to replace him<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Depending on whether Newey continues as interim boss and for how long, his appointment would rank among the shortest in history, with the team having given no indication at the time of his announcement that he was taking up the role in anything other than a permanent capacity.<\/p>\n

Chief trackside officer Mike Krack \u2014 a former Aston Martin team principal who stood in for Newey at the Chinese Grand Prix \u2014 corroborated Marko\u2019s claim that there would be no quick fixes this year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will continue to work hard, but also we need to stay realistic,\u201d Krack told SiriusXM. \u201cWe cannot produce miracles in such a short time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important is that you are working on all your issues, and you can only solve them one at a time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat does not mean we need to solve one per event. We need to solve many, but I think it is important that you do not panic. You know that for the next race we have to improve, and this applies to reliability and to performance. So, we will bring improvements. How much of an impact they will have, we will see in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/p>\n

ANALYSIS: Max says F1 is on a path to self-destruction. His \u2018horror show\u2019 masks an awkward contradiction<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018DOESN\u2019T MAKE SENSE\u2019: How \u2018smoking gun\u2019 image exposed true \u2018madness\u2019 of F1\u2019s new era <\/a><\/p>\n

\u2018ENOUGH IS ENOUGH\u2019: Ferrari boss fires back at F1 star in fresh regulations row<\/a><\/p>\n

Bezzecchi dominates Brazil Grand Prix | 01:15<\/p>\n

STEINER HITS OUT AT \u2018SELF-PROMOTIONAL\u2019 WOLFF<\/p>\n

Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner has whacked Mercedes principal Toto Wolff over his \u201cself-promotional\u201d post-race message to Andrea Kimi Antonelli at the Chinese Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

Antonelli, 19 years old, won his first grand prix in Shanghai<\/a>, just two races into his second season, to become the second youngest winner in Formula 1 history, having set the record for youngest every getter the day before.<\/p>\n

It was validation for the Italian after a scrappy and accident-prone first season in the sport that saw him score only three points for the entire European leg of the campaign.<\/p>\n

There were even calls for Antonelli to be dumped from the team and farmed out to a midfield squad as an apprenticeship during the height of his struggles.<\/p>\n

Wolff, who was instrumental in Antonelli\u2019s rapid F1 promotion, had kept those receipts and redeemed them immediately after his prot\u00e9g\u00e9 won his first grand prix.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s too young. We shouldn\u2019t put him in a Mercedes. Put him in a smaller team. He needs experience. Look at the mistakes he makes,\u201d Wolff said over team radio. \u201cHere we go, Kimi. Victory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite the significance of the moment for a driver Mercedes is adamant has championship potential, former Haas boss Steiner accused Wolff of making the moment about himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was total self-promotional,\u201d Steiner told the Red Flags podcast<\/a>. \u201cIt was like, \u2018Make sure that everybody knows that I didn\u2019t do anything wrong\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cToto wouldn\u2019t need that, but I think he has got a little bit of a complex there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, the guy won. You don\u2019t need to explain it now, Toto. Everybody believes it. You can see it, you can feel it, you can hear it. You don\u2019t have to tell everybody, \u2018Yeah, because everybody doubted me\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end, Kimi did it and not Toto. We always have to respect that as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cToto, as I said, doesn\u2019t need to do that. I don\u2019t know why he does it. To each his own.\u201d<\/p>\n

McLaren troubles stall Piastri’s season | 07:18<\/p>\n

HAAS REVEALS GODZILLA LIVERY FOR JAPANESE GRAND PRIX<\/p>\n

Haas will celebrate a season-long partnership with Japanese entertainment company Toho with a Godzilla-themed livery for this weekend\u2019s race in Suzuka.<\/p>\n

The famous post-war monster will appear on the engine cover of both cars for the Japanese Grand Prix following a livery reveal in Tokyo on Tuesday. It will reappear for October\u2019s United States Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

The American-owned team enjoys a close technical and commercial relationship with Japan thanks to its tie-up with title sponsor Toyota, with Gazoo Racing branding appearing prominently on the car.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an honour to bring a global icon such as Godzilla to this sport and activate across an important year for the franchise,\u201d Haas boss Ayao Komatsu, who was born and raised in Tokyo. \u201cWe want our fanbases to combine and celebrate with us, as there will be lots to engage with this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keiji Ota, Toho\u2019s chief Godzilla officer, said: \u201cGodzilla has come to represent indomitable power and resilience, a spirit that deeply resonates with the TGR Haas F1 Team\u2019s determination to constantly break through barriers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mercedes also announced a one-off wolf-inspired livery for Suzuka, with the team publishing digital renders of its car featuring a cartoon wolf face on its front wing.<\/p>\n

Haas and Mercedes will join Racing Bulls in having special Japan liveries, with the Red Bull-owned squad swapping its usual Ford blue accents for red to promote a special edition flavour of the energy drink.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Supplied)Source: Supplied<\/p>\n

McLAREN ROOKIE GETS FIRST OUTING, ASTON YOUNG GUN GETS SUZUKA NOD<\/p>\n

McLaren has given reserve driver Leonardo Fornaroli his first Formula 1 outing with a two-day test in the team\u2019s 2023 car in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

Fornaroli won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles in 2024 and 2025 respectively but had no clear connection to Formula 1 until McLaren picked him up late last year, replacing Irishman Alex Dunne, who has since decamped for Alpine.<\/p>\n

The 21-year-old Italian completed 110 laps over his two days behind the wheel, which the team said would ensure his readiness in the event either Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris couldn\u2019t take the wheel for a grand prix.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an amazing feeling to drive an F1 car on track,\u201d he said. \u201cThe last two days have been incredible, and I have learned a huge amount across a wide range of aspects of driving in F1.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile these cars are quite different to those of the current generation, getting time behind the wheel is still essential in my capacity as a reserve driver as well as helping me to correlate the feeling of physically driving when working in the sim as part of my role supporting the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, at Aston Martin, reserve driver Jak Crawford will take over from Fernando Alonso in FP1 this weekend, acquitting one of the team\u2019s four obligatory junior driver outings.<\/p>\n

Crawford, a former Red Bull junior, was runner-up in last year\u2019s Formula 2 championship.<\/p>\n

Replacing Brazilian Felipe Drugovich as Aston Martin\u2019s reserve driver, he entered two FP1 sessions with the team last year, in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"All eyes will be on Aston Martin at this weekend\u2019s Japanese Grand Prix at beleaguered works partner Honda\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":562545,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[944,2074,2620,2095,12295,1724,64,63,689,18503,937,277264,277254,277263,152579,277257,2791,265937,512,277256,9239,58816,220202,2057,90122,817,277266,845,813,816,75747,841,3552,4405,214167,941,277253,7983,277258,1737,647,2184,23956,277255,39542,18268,2041,2067,277252,677,84599,277262,2119,22297,12022,59978,194448,4933,3595,2020,277261,277260,277265,85,73242,73217,13773,272782,36772,11804,4703,2614,660,272715,12000,9020,277259],"class_list":["post-562544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-formula-1","tag-abu-dhabi","tag-adrian-newey","tag-agence-france-presse","tag-america","tag-andrea-kimi-antonelli","tag-asia","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-driver","tag-barcelona","tag-beleaguered-works-partner","tag-blue-accents","tag-british-team-principal","tag-car-finish","tag-cartoon-wolf-face","tag-central-america","tag-chief-trackside-officer","tag-china","tag-commercial-relationship","tag-eastern-asia","tag-energy-drink","tag-engine-cover","tag-europe","tag-european-leg","tag-f1","tag-famous-post-war-monster","tag-fernando-alonso","tag-formula-1","tag-formula1","tag-front-wing","tag-grand-prix","tag-guenther-steiner","tag-helmut-marko","tag-interim-boss","tag-japan","tag-japanese-entertainment-company","tag-jonathan-wheatley","tag-junior-driver-outings","tag-lando-norris","tag-melbourne","tag-mexico","tag-mexico-city","tag-midfield-squad","tag-mike-krack","tag-motorsport-adviser","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-obligatory-junior-driver","tag-oceania","tag-pannel-chat","tag-permanent-capacity","tag-pit-talk","tag-practice-session","tag-province-of-barcelona","tag-reserve-driver","tag-rumours-swirl","tag-shanghai","tag-southern-europe","tag-spain","tag-special-edition-flavour","tag-special-liveries","tag-special-one-off-japanese","tag-sports","tag-states-grand","tag-suzuka","tag-team-principal","tag-team-principal-position","tag-team-radio","tag-tokyo","tag-toto-wolff","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-victoria","tag-walkinshaw-amp-whincup","tag-western-asia","tag-young-gun","tag-zak-crawford"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=562544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562544\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/562545"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=562544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=562544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=562544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}