Adrian Newey is in the process of deciding his next move after handing in his resignation as chief technical officer at Red Bull. Newey must first ponder whether he wants to continue in Formula 1.
Indeed, he may have reached a point where there’s little left to achieve. The legendary designer has won championships across three different decades (the 1990s, 2010s and 2020s) with three different teams – Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
At 65, he’s likely to be close to retirement too. That said, newly-appointed Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore is 74, so age isn’t necessarily a barrier to high-ranking positions in F1.
What’s more, the reported talks between Newey and multiple F1 teams suggest he’s minded to explore a fresh challenge. He’ll be able to leave Red Bull in February 2025 after negotiating his way out of any gardening leave.
His suitors will want him in the door as quickly as possible. He could potentially have an input on the design of their 2026 car at the start of a new era for the sport.
In one of the biggest regulation changes in F1 history, teams are overhauling both their chassis and their engines. They will introduce active aerodynamics, and 50% of their power will come from their battery.
Adrian Newey in advanced talks with Ferrari for 2025
According to a report from Motorsport Italy, Newey has yet to sign an agreement with leading suitors Ferrari. But he’s close to reaching that point.
The team have ‘allocated an extra budget’ to pay the Englishman, though even the £3.1bn Italian marquee (Forbes) can’t match the £100m, four-year deal Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll has tabled. In its own right, their proposal is still ‘very advantageous’.
They would allow Newey to work from home in South Africa ‘a few days a week’, and visit their Maranello base whenever he pleased. ‘Only some details remain’ before Ferrari can draw up the contract for him to sign.
The framework of the Ferrari offer suits Newey, but he seems to be enjoying the level of interest in his services. He ‘doesn’t mind the alternatives at all’ if his deal with the Scuderia breaks down.
Newey rules out F1 team who can’t afford wage demands
There’s still work to do for Ferrari to secure the signing of Newey, then. Fred Vasseur wants him to help build cars for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, forming a triumvirate that could end Ferrari’s 16-year title drought.
While the majority of Red Bull’s nine competitors will be interested, it seems to be a shoot-out between Ferrari and Aston Martin. Sky Sports F1’s Craig Slater recently reported that the British team actually had the edge.
Significantly, Aston have reportedly lured Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile to their project. That means that Stroll will have significantly strengthened his design team with or without Newey.
One team who won’t be acquiring his services, despite James Vowles publicly stating his interest, is Williams. They can’t stump up the kind of salary that Newey would expect, and the romance of a return to Grove won’t be enough to convince him.
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