While there is lots of talk about which drivers might lose their seats on the grid or move up and down the paddock, one backroom member of staff is also attracting plenty of attention.
Adrian Newey has one of the greatest winning records in Formula 1 history and has been instrumental to Red Bull’s success since he joined the team in 2006.
A report from The Guardian suggests one of Red Bull’s rivals is now taking a closer look at hiring the 65-year-old.
Adrian Newey has played a role in 12 Constructors’ Championships and 11 Drivers’ Championships during his time in F1.
His first title came all the way back in 1992, working with Nigel Mansell at Williams before helping Alain Prost achieve the same feat a year later.
Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Mika Hakkinen all benefitted from his genius as well.
However, his longest sustained period of success has come at Red Bull, working closely with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.
Aston Martin want to emulate that success now and have upped their efforts to sign Adrian Newey.
The renowned chief technical officer is in a desirable position with so many parties interested in his services.
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Aston Martin have upped their efforts to hire Adrian Newey
While hiring Adrian Newey doesn’t guarantee success in Formula 1, it certainly doesn’t harm your chances.
Ferrari are the biggest traditional power in the sport that he’s never worked for, although he recently admitted coming close to joining them three times in the past.
There were also suggestions within the paddock that he might follow Lewis Hamilton there given the pair have also never been on the same time at the same time.
He instead appears to have been concentrating on improving the most dominant car in F1 history over the winter although the RB20 has already missed out on as many victories this season as the RB19 did in 2023.
Their new car does look very different to last year’s but appears to be just as effective.
For that reason, Aston Martin that upper their interest in Newey as they want him to replicate that success for them ahead of the new regulations coming in.
After bringing in two former world champions – Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso – as their last two driver hires, they’ve shown they’re not content with battling in the midfield.
Adrian Newey might have several offers on the table
The report from The Guardian suggests that Aston Martin are believed to have ‘upped the ante’ in their efforts to sign Newey.
They’ve made him a ‘lucrative contract offer’, however, Red Bull believe he’s going nowhere.
Christian Horner has made the 65-year-old an offer of his own that would see him take a new role within the team to help the team stay under the cost cap.
Meanwhile, Toto Wolff hasn’t ruled out trying to sign Newey to Mercedes and that might help him in his pursuit of Max Verstappen.
The report from The Guardian also goes on to say that if Newey decided now was the right time to leave Red Bull, it’s ‘extremely likely’ that Verstappen would makes efforts to follow him.
Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll is believed to be ready to do ‘whatever it takes’ to sign Verstappen.
If he could secure the signing of both of Red Bull’s most important figures, they would suddenly be one of the favourites to win championships in the very near future.
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