Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing, may be considering a new challenge outside of his current team. Reports suggest that he could be seeking opportunities elsewhere in the Formula 1 world. If Newey decides to explore new horizons, which teams could potentially be interested in his expertise?
One of the most attractive options for Newey could be Ferrari, the renowned Italian team based in Maranello. In the past, Ferrari has attempted to entice Newey away from his current position in Milton Keynes. With their recent revitalization under Team Principal Fred Vasseur and a talented driver lineup including Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, Ferrari presents an enticing opportunity for Newey to design a championship-winning car, something the team hasn’t achieved since 2007.
Auto Motor und Sport predicts that Ferrari would be Newey’s preferred destination. This claim is supported by insider sources at Aston Martin, who believe that Newey is destined for a role at Maranello. If this speculation proves true, Ferrari could experience a resurgence reminiscent of their glory days at the turn of the century. With Newey’s track record of success at Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull, winning titles with Formula 1’s most iconic team would be a fitting chapter in the career of a legendary Grand Prix engineer.
In the past, the 65-year-old Newey has expressed a sense of “emotional regret” for never having collaborated with Ferrari or their seven-time championship-winning driver. Now, he may finally have the opportunity to work with both and fulfill a long-standing desire.
Lawrence Stroll is not afraid to invest money in order to achieve his goal of winning the title with Aston Martin. A brand-new facility has been established at Silverstone after hiring Dan Fallows, a former pupil of Red Bull’s Adrian Newey, as the Technical Director.
Furthermore, Stroll has managed to attract Eric Blandin, a former Mercedes Aerodynamicist, to serve as Fallows’ Deputy Technical Director, and the legendary Grand Prix driver Fernando Alonso to lead Aston Martin’s driving efforts.
Additionally, Aston Martin’s position in 2026 could be impressive as they are entering into a works engine deal with Honda. Currently, Honda engines are discreetly powering the championship-winning Red Bull cars, and Newey already has a close working relationship with Honda engineers.
Moreover, it has been reported that Stroll approached Newey earlier in the season. Allegedly, Aston Martin made a lucrative offer to Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer during their time in Saudi Arabia in March. The appeal of joining Aston Martin, apart from the financial incentives, is the opportunity to work on a different project compared to what Ferrari offers.
Unlike Ferrari, Aston Martin’s base at Silverstone means that Newey and his family would not have to relocate, although living in sunny Maranello for a few years doesn’t sound like a hardship. While leading the technical team at Ferrari would involve revitalizing a team with a glorious past, joining Aston Martin would mean building a project for a team that has never experienced Championship success, except for their close call as Jordan in 1999. Could Newey be tempted to bring Aston Martin its first title under the iconic British banner?
If there is a top team in Formula 1 that is in desperate need of a technical revolution, it is Mercedes. After winning eight consecutive Constructors’ titles from 2014 to 2021, the team has faced challenges and design setbacks in adapting to the ground effect regulations.
However, both Ferrari and Aston Martin are teams on the rise and have strong incentives to attract someone of Newey’s caliber. In the case of Mercedes, it is the team that needs Newey more than the other way around, although this could be said for any team other than Red Bull.
Nevertheless, Mercedes could achieve an incredible coup if they manage to secure their top driver target for 2025, Max Verstappen. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has publicly expressed his interest in signing the Dutchman and seems determined to bring him on board, after narrowly missing out on him over a decade ago.
Reports suggest that Verstappen’s team will meet with Wolff, Mercedes, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Miami, indicating that what was once considered impossible is now becoming a real possibility.
If Wolff succeeds in snatching Verstappen from Red Bull’s grasp, it is rumored that the Dutchman would want many of his current colleagues to join him at Mercedes.
This kind of move brings back memories of the past. Two decades ago, F1’s most sought-after driver, Michael Schumacher, left the successful Benetton team to drive for the struggling Ferrari, and eventually brought along key figures like Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne to create a resurgent super team.
If Verstappen signs with the Silver Arrows, history could repeat itself to some extent, with Newey joining the team as well.
Could Newey be enticed to reunite with a former employer? The Formula 1 design expert led McLaren to consecutive championships in 1998 and 1999. Kimi Raikkonen narrowly missed out on two titles in McLarens designed by Newey in 2003 and 2005, so the team based in Woking presents an opportunity for the renowned designer to settle unfinished business.
During his early days at McLaren, Newey tried to bring his former Williams colleague Damon Hill on board. Hill, who won the Drivers’ Championship in 1996 and is now a broadcaster for Sky Sports F1, believes that a stint at McLaren would be ideal for Newey, the mastermind behind the dominant FW18.
“They’re definitely a team on the rise,” Hill said when considering McLaren as a potential destination for Newey. In the latter part of 2023, it often seemed that McLaren’s RB19, co-created by Newey, was the only car capable of outperforming McLaren. However, the team’s progress has slowed somewhat in 2024 under the guidance of Andrea Stella. Nonetheless, Lando Norris’s impressive podium finish in Shanghai indicates that the team is still moving forward.
Nevertheless, McLaren’s complex technical structure, which includes multiple department heads, has already led to some peculiar changes. A highly regarded former Ferrari engineer joined McLaren at the beginning of 2024 after a year of gardening leave, only to leave a few months later due to a misalignment with the team regarding his role.
One could argue that there are too many decision-makers at McLaren, and Newey, with other enticing options available, might be discouraged by the bloated technical structure.
Another intriguing possibility is Sauber, although the Swiss-based team has little influence in the Newey discussions. However, Sauber presents an interesting opportunity that should not be overlooked. The struggling team is like a blank canvas, in need of someone like Newey to showcase their design expertise and lead them into a promising future with Audi.
The influence of the German automotive giant alone could be enough to attract Newey to Hinwil, and the Audi proposal is not too dissimilar from the one Red Bull presented in 2006. Joining Audi would give Newey the chance to build a project from scratch and bring it to the forefront of the grid. He has done it before and could do it again. However, if Sauber/Audi seriously considers Newey as an option, they would have to wait in line behind Ferrari and Aston Martin, who are also vying for his signature.