Adrian Newey’s Big Move
Adrian Newey, the legendary F1 designer, has confirmed he expects to join another Formula 1 team after his departure from Red Bull. At 65, Newey is looking for a fresh challenge.
“I feel a little bit tired at the moment, but at some point I’ll probably go again,”
He plans to continue his work for “another four or five years or whatever.”
Newey’s departure from Red Bull after 19 years was announced earlier this month. His decision comes amidst various influences, including internal controversies and his own desire for a new project.
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Potential New Teams for Newey
While Newey has kept his next destination under wraps, there are several contenders. Ferrari is widely seen as the frontrunner. Newey has had conversations with Ferrari, but the team has not commented on the matter. Lewis Hamilton, who is joining Ferrari next season, expressed his excitement at the possibility of Newey joining him in Maranello. “That makes me feel good,” Newey admitted.
Newey’s Red Bull Departure
Newey’s exit from Red Bull was partly driven by controversy surrounding team principal Christian Horner. Horner has been accused of sexual harassment and coercive behaviour by a female employee. Although Horner denies these allegations and has been cleared by one investigation, another is ongoing.
Additionally, Newey felt some at Red Bull were undermining his role in their success.
“To walk away from Red Bull was a very hard decision but it was one I needed to take for a whole host of reasons. They had been my family”
He was also surprised by the media frenzy surrounding his departure.
“I never really thought it would be big news so for it to be in all the flipping papers and on the telly was almost a bit of a shock.”
Eddie Jordan: The “Silent Assassin”
Eddie Jordan, Newey’s manager, played a key role in negotiating Newey’s exit from Red Bull. In a Formula For Success podcast episode, Jordan revealed that Horner called him a “silent assassin” for his part in the negotiations. Jordan recounted…
“Christian, do you know what he called me? Do you know what he called me when he found this? First of all, his jaw was somewhere around near the end of his trousers. You know, it’s quite a big jaw in the first place, but he called me:
‘Ah, EJ, you’re a f*****g silent assassin’.”
David Coulthard, Jordan’s co-host on the podcast, added…
“No-one saw that coming at all. Nobody knew you were managing Adrian.”
What’s Next for Newey?
Newey’s early release from Red Bull allows him to start with a new team in early 2025, in time to influence their design for the new F1 technical regulations in 2026. Christian Horner acknowledged Newey’s contributions, saying…
“We have enjoyed a great relationship, and we continue to enjoy a great relationship. We are friends as well as work colleagues and he’s done a huge amount for this team.”
As Newey wraps up his final project, the RB17 hypercar, at Red Bull, the F1 world eagerly awaits his next move. Whether he joins Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, or another team, it seems as though Newey’s impact on Formula 1 is set to continue well into the future.
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Newey to join another F1 team