An F1 team boss, speaking anonymously to Motorsport.com, suggests that if Adrian Newey leaves Red Bull Racing after his work on the RB17 is completed in early 2025, potentially to join a rival team like Ferrari or Aston Martin, it could be a significant loss for Red Bull, likening the situation to McLaren’s mistake of allowing Brawn GP to rise to dominance.
Highlights
– ‣ Adrian Newey’s future at Red Bull Racing is uncertain, with speculation about whether he will leave for a rival team after his so-called gardening leave ends in the first quarter of 2025.
– ‣ Newey is currently working on the RB17 project but has hinted at being ready for a new challenge, leaving open the possibility of joining another team such as Ferrari or Aston Martin to develop their 2026 car.
– ‣ Red Bull Racing claims that Newey is not in talks with other teams or intending to sign elsewhere, despite the speculation.
– ‣ Comparisons are drawn to the situation with Brawn GP, suggesting that if Newey were to leave Red Bull for a competitor, it could be a significant loss for Red Bull, similar to McLaren’s loss when they allowed Brawn GP access to Mercedes engines, leading to Brawn GP’s immediate success and Mercedes’ subsequent dominance in F1.
So, what’s next for Adrian Newey? Is he gonna hang up his F1 gloves, or is there a plot twist with him moving to a rival pit? Rumor has it, if he bounces, the Austrian squad might just have shot themselves in the foot. That’s straight from the horse’s mouth – an F1 bigwig who’s keeping it on the down-low chatted up Motorsport.com.
Now, here’s the scoop on Newey. He’s knee-deep in the RB17 project, kinda like he’s on a fancy break they call gardening leave. Fast forward to post-Q1 of 2025, and he’s outta Red Bull Racing. Just like that, free as a bird. And yep, that means he could be whipping up the 2026 beast for someone else. Ferrari? Aston Martin? Who knows.
But does Newey even wanna jump ship? That’s the million-dollar question. He kinda left everyone guessing, dropping hints about craving a fresh start. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s playing it cool, saying Newey’s not flirting with other teams. Yet.
Now, Imagine This Scenario
Picture this: Newey decides to switch lanes and join another top-tier team by early 2025. “Catastrophic,” says our anonymous insider. It’d be a facepalm moment for Christian Horner, kinda like that time McLaren’s Whitmarsh accidentally handed the golden ticket to Brawn GP. Remember that?
When Honda called it quits in 2008, Brawn swooped in and snagged the F1 team. They got a name change to Brawn GP, and thanks to Whitmarsh, scored some sweet Mercedes engines. Boom, 2009, and Jenson Button’s hoisting the world championship trophy. Next thing you know, Mercedes takes a slice of the pie, and the McLaren-Mercedes exclusive deal? History.
So, yeah. If Newey does a runner to a rival, it’s not just a plot twist. It’s a full-blown drama series, with Red Bull possibly watching their former star engineer help someone else snag the trophy. Talk about an F1 soap opera, right?
