Adrian Newey officially handed in his resignation as the chief technical officer at Red Bull earlier this month. From February 2025 onwards, he’ll no longer be their employee.
Three months on from the bombshell news of Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari, this was another seismic development. Newey has worked with Red Bull for 18 years, delivering 13 of his 25 career championships.
Naturally, many are wondering whether this could bring an end to the Bulls’ recent dominance. Christian Horner has tried to downplay his influence, much to the annoyance of his wife Amanda.
Technical director Pierre Wache is poised to take on an even greater role in Newey’s absence. World champion Max Verstappen is apparently a ‘big believer’ in the Frenchman.
But this isn’t just a big story because of the impact it may have on Red Bull. The 65-year-old is now on the market for rival Formula 1 teams too.
While Fred Vasseur has publicly played down the importance of signing Newey, Ferrari are pushing hard. They may end up doing battle with Mercedes for his signature.
Adrian Newey says publicity has caught him off guard
Speaking at an Oyster Yachts event alongside Eddie Jordan, Newey reflected on the reaction to the announcement. Jordan is a close friend of the Englishman and works as his manager.
He confessed his surprise at the level of coverage his departure received across the sporting media. This seemed inevitable given that he’s one of the most revered engineers in F1 history, having designed title-winning cars in three different decades.
He said: “I never thought it would be big news to be honest. I’ve never really thought about it, so for it to be in all the papers and on the telly was almost a bit of a shock.”
Martin Brundle reckons that Newey can be even more valuable to an F1 team than a superstar driver. If he was setting up his own squad, he says reuniting him with Verstappen would be his top priority.
What Red Bull have now blocked Adrian Newey from seeing
Red Bull now find themselves in a somewhat awkward position for the next nine months or so. Though Newey will make a handful of appearances on the pitwall, he’ll be focusing primarily on the RB17 hypercar project.
The Bulls will want to honour his remarkable service but they also recognise the likelihood of him joining a direct competitor in the near future. That’s why Horner has blocked his access to the team’s data and to most of their meetings.
The timing of Newey’s exit is far from ideal. He would have left a sizeable hole regardless, but he’s departing with the 2026 regulation changes on the horizon.
Suitors will be desperate to have him on board in time to influence their concept. They know that the rule reset, one of the biggest in the sport’s recent history, will offer a chance to make huge gains.
There are already ‘rumours’ that Red Bull are lagging behind their rivals in the engine department. If that is the case, there will be an even greater onus on the chassis, Newey’s area of expertise.
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