Adrian Newey has now made a big decision as the Formula 1 design legend prepares to leave Red Bull come early 2025 with Aston Martin rivalling Ferrari to gain his services.
The Formula 1 paddock is engaged in a slugfest to sign Newey after Red Bull confirmed their chief technical officer’s departure this April. He will now stay in Milton Keynes until the first quarter of 2025. But the 65-year-old has already stepped aside from their Grand Prix squad.
Red Bull had Newey under contract until the end of 2025 and could also enforce a period of gardening leave. But the team from Milton Keynes agreed to let Newey leave after 19 years. F1 teams are now fighting to sign Newey and help design their car for 2026’s regulation set.
Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey slashes his wage demands to join Aston Martin
Almost every team on the grid wants Newey, who has won more world championships than anyone in Formula 1. He has helped to design 12 constructors’ title-winning and 13 drivers’ championship-winning cars. Newey has won six teams’ and seven drivers’ titles for Red Bull.
Ferrari have long been seen as the favourites to sign Newey but The Telegraph now reports that he has also visited Aston Martin. The team from Silverstone gave the design icon a tour of their factory as owner Lawrence Stroll bids to beat competition, including from McLaren.
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But while Newey toured Aston Martin’s factory, Stroll refuses to pull out all the stops for his arrival in 2025. The Canadian billionaire baulked at Newey’s initial request for a wage worth £50m a year. Stroll’s firm reply also forced Newey to move his demands down to £25m-a/y.
Stroll is keen for Aston Martin to deny Ferrari, McLaren and also Williams in the race to get Newey. He sees the Red Bull chief as a statement signing in the Silverstone squad’s move to become a genuine front-runner. Fernando Alonso had their best finish so far this year in P5.
Adrian Newey has moved his demands closer to Lawrence Stroll’s first offer
Newey bringing the Red Bull chief’s wage demands to sign for Aston Martin down to £25m a year might delight Stroll. Reports by Corriere della Sera in April noted that Stroll had made a €25m (£21m) a year offer for Newey to join Aston Martin before Red Bull confirmed his exit.
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Stroll sought to move early as Newey looked to get out of his Red Bull contract as Mercedes presented competition. But, seemingly, the Canadian’s offer was not enough at the time as Newey demanded a £50m a year deal. Now, though, there is far less between their stances.
Signing Newey would represent a huge coup for Aston Martin, who have never won a Grand Prix in Formula 1. The team with its current identity after Stroll renamed Racing Point, which he even renamed from Force India, have also only had nine podiums since the 2021 season.
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