Adrian Newey is pondering his next steps after handing in his Red Bull resignation last month. The legendary designer is set to depart the world champions in early 2025.
After negotiations with the team, Newey won’t have to serve a period of gardening leave. That means he’s free to join a rival immediately should he desire.
And suitors will be desperate to get him through the door as quickly as possible. They’ll want him to exert a meaningful influence over their 2026 car concept as they try to nail the new regulations.
Equally, though, Newey will be 66 years old by the time he leaves. While he’s given himself the option to resume work immediately, he may also decide to retire.
If he is to continue in F1, Ferrari appear the clear favourites to sign him. According to BBC F1 pundit Marc Priestley, there was even talk in the Monaco paddock that the deal was done, with Lewis Hamilton instrumental.
But competitors don’t appear to be giving up just yet. Indeed, Mercedes have reportedly offered Newey shares in their team in a last-ditch attempt to pip the Scuderia.
Adrian Newey says there may not be ‘anything left to achieve’ in Formula 1
Writing in the July issue of Motorsport Magazine, Newey confirmed that he still hadn’t made up his mind on what to do post-Red Bull. He admitted that there may not be a new challenge out there that satisfies him.
The Englishman has already been part of 25 combined championships over the course of his career. And he’s not interested in adding to that tally for the sake of it.
However, he says he retains his love for the sport and hasn’t taken the opportunities he’s received for granted. Since Newey joined Red Bull in 2006, they’ve gone on to win 118 races.
“As for my own future, F1 still motivates me to get up in the morning,” he wrote. “I still get a buzz from races.
“You may ask is there anything left to achieve? Possibly not. Adding numbers is academic, but that has never been the motivation.
“The motivation really has been that I wanted to work as a designer in motor racing, ideally in F1 in some capacity, from the age of about 10. I’ve been lucky enough to do that and I still very much appreciate it.
“In terms of what’s next, I’m not going to try and predict the future. I enjoy my time at Red Bull – being involved in it more or less from the start. How we have developed the engineering team, which does a fantastic job now, has been incredibly satisfying.”
Damon Hill on what 2026 regulations mean for Newey
Newey’s decision could hinge upon how he views the final version of the 2026 regulations. They need to pose the kind of test he relishes.
1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill believes that they will play right into his hands. Writing on his Instagram story, he suggested that they were an ‘open goal for Newey’.
The chief technical officer has already proven that he can achieve success in any era. He won titles in the 1990s with Williams and McLaren, and has added to his haul in the last two decades at Red Bull.
Prior to 2022, Mercedes were dominant as F1 became an engine formula in the eyes of some engineers. For an aerodynamic mastermind like Newey, this must have been a source of deep frustration.
But even then, he helped to build the RB16 in 2021, the car in which Max Verstappen beat Hamilton to win his first-ever championship. Given the manner in which Red Bull have crushed the competition since, many would view Ferrari as the post-2026 favourites if they were able to sign him.
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