The impending departure of design icon Adrian Newey threatens to hit Red Bull hard. Formula 1 expert Christian Danner even sees signs that world champion Max Verstappen could draw conclusions from this. Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin have already put out feelers.
The official confirmation is still pending, but the reports in the German and English media hardly allow any other conclusion: Adrian Newey is apparently actually leaving Red Bull Racing. The legendary designer is said to have already informed his management team of his intentions, so it seems that it’s just a matter of formalities. Newey’s irritation with Red Bull’s handling of the allegations against team boss Christian Horner is cited as the trigger.
An employee had accused Horner of “inappropriate behavior” before the start of the season. The Red Bull Group had these allegations examined, but dismissed the complaint. However, the case continued to cause controversy, the suspicion has not been dispelled and is much more overshadowing the current Formula 1 season. Newey now appears to be the first high-ranking Red Bull decision-maker to draw such conclusions from this.
In 2006 he moved to the Formula 1 project of the Austrian billion-dollar company and has been largely responsible for its great successes since then. Sebastian Vettel won four world championship titles in Newey cars in the 2010s, and this season Max Verstappen’s fourth triumph in a row is only a matter of time. The RB19 from the 2023 season even went down in F1 history as the most dominant car ever with 21 wins in 22 races.
The BBC describes Newey as the “brilliant and responsible mind” behind the Red Bull team and compares his departure to an earthquake. The Brit had already enjoyed great success with Williams and McLaren; his cars won more than 200 Grands Prix.
Danner: “Newey cannot be replaced”
RTL expert Christian Danner assesses the situation similarly drastically: If Newey leaves the racing team based in Milton Keynes, “that will automatically lead to a catastrophic situation at Red Bull.” For the former F1 driver and long-time F1 commentator, the 65-year-old is simply “the guarantee of success for the entire world championship years.” According to Danner, the designer is a “personnel who cannot be replaced.” Red Bull Racing has won 13 world championship titles, seven in the drivers’ championship and seven in the constructors’ championship, and after five of 24 race weekends there are no longer any serious doubts about their double success in the current season.
Danner has been accompanying Formula 1 for many years.
(Photo: IMAGO/aal.photo)
Danner even assumes that Newey’s departure will also have a massive impact on the future of world champion Max Verstappen. “One hundred percent yes,” the F1 expert replied when asked whether Newey would be the first domino whose metaphorical toppling could result in Verstappen also leaving Red Bull. The Dutchman had avoided making a clear commitment to Horner in recent weeks; his mentor Helmut Marko is generally considered Horner’s greatest opponent in the internal team conflict. According to reports, Marko even wanted to quit at the start of the season before Verstappen’s side convinced him to continue.
Mercedes is courting Verstappen, Ferrari is apparently courting Newey
Important: In the event of Marko’s departure, Verstappen reportedly has an exit clause from his long-term contract; nothing is known about a comparable clause for Newey. However, the 26-year-old emphasized on the sidelines of the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend: “I have a long contract. The only thing I emphasized from the start is that I want a peaceful working environment.” An early departure from Newey would hardly fit in with this.
Mercedes in particular has been courting Verstappen, currently the best driver in Formula 1, for weeks. Because record world champion Lewis Hamilton is going to Ferrari next season, the Silver Arrows still have a cockpit available for 2025. Danner even sees the possibility that Verstappen will change employers after this year. However, it is no coincidence that transfer rumors in F1 fall under the umbrella term “silly season”, in which far more speculation and rumors occur than is actually signed. However, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff makes no secret of the fact that Verstappen would be his preferred choice when looking for a Hamilton successor.
Adrian Newey’s future planning seems to be much more concrete. Aston Martin is said to have already made an offer to the design legend; the headquarters of the two racing teams are only a few minutes’ drive from each other near the Grand Prix track in Silverstone. According to the Italian “Gazzetta dello Sport”, there is already contact between Newey and Ferrari. The 65-year-old is said to have recently been spotted at Bologna airport in Italy – it is less than 50 kilometers by car to the Ferrari factory in Maranello.