Red Bull driver Sergio Perez has said that losing Adrian Newey is “not ideal” but the team remains “very strong.”
Newey’s departure was announced on Tuesday, as he will be moving away from the F1 project to focus more on the RB17 hyper car, before fully leaving the organisation in early 2025.
The design genius has helped Red Bull to 13 drivers and constructors’ titles in 19 years, and while his role in the squad evolved to be less hands on in recent times, Perez acknowledges Newey’s departure will be a blow to the team.
“Yeah, it’s obviously, I would say, not ideal, someone like Adrian has been tremendous to our team, to our organisation,” said the Mexican.
But Perez was quick to add that the team still remains in a good position given the quality of the other key technical people.
“I think Red Bull, it’s in a great place,” he said. “It has a very good, very strong organisation with Pierre [Wache], with Enrico Balbo, with Ben [Waterhouse].
“I think the whole aero group is very strong and we’re just looking forward to the future. I think you’ve seen in the past with these big teams, big names, when they leave, they will always exist, it doesn’t matter.
“It’s not down to one single individual, it’s a whole organisation and I think Christian has done a great job in sort of preparing for the next generation of what’s going to happen to Red Bull.
Newey would have an “immediate impact” elsewhere
Perez also believes that, given Newey’s level of talent and experience, he would have an immediate impact on another team as he influences not just the design of the car but other areas of the operation on race weekends.
“Well, definitely. Adrian, with the experience he has, obviously he has contributed a lot to the Red Bull philosophy,” he said.
“So, yeah, I assume he will cause an immediate impact wherever he goes, whatever he does. He’s a very clever guy, very hard worker.
“And with Adrian, working with him, it’s much more than a designer. He can influence even strategies, set-up. He could have that influence on a race weekend; you know?
“So, to have him around on race weekends was great. And yeah, he’s obviously a very strong individual guy that wherever he goes, he will cause immediate impact. But obviously, it’s a whole group of people that he would require to have around him as well.”
[adrotate banner=”9″]
Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool