F1: Many parallels between F1’s two greatest designers

–by Mark Cipolloni–

A lot of parallels can be drawn between the two greatest F1 car designers in history – Aldo Costa and Adrian Newey.

The main thing – they are good listeners and team builders.  In this podcast, Aldo Costa explains how important it is to listen to all ideas and then use his experience to choose which idea is best and why.

It’s very similar to what has made Adrian Newey so great.

Four-time World Champion Alain Prost has spoken of his experiences of working with Adrian Newey in the past.

“I loved talking to Adrian,” Prost said on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“Adrian is listening to you, asking questions all the time. You never have an argument with Adrian. You’re talking with Adrian and he is listening, and then he does what he thinks is the best, but he never tells you what he’s going to do – or if you’re right or you’re wrong. Nothing. Just listening and talking.

“I love that, you know, that is why he’s the best – because you know why? Because everybody thinks that Adrian is still one engineer.

“I mean, I don’t know now, but he was at McLaren and I remember going in his office and [he was] drawing some parts of the car by hand – I mean, it’s unbelievable.

“But also the ways he is working and listening, and it’s fantastic for the engineers working with him, it brings energy and synergy in terms of the brain, that capacity is fantastic.”

Aldo Costa F1 World Championships 

Adrian Newey F1 World Championships