Red Bull have announced that chief technical officer Adrian Newey will leave the team in early 2025.
Amid the backroom chaos triggered by the Christian Horner scandal, Newey’s departure comes as a massive blow for the Austrian team, but not a shock.
The 65-year-old was reportedly unhappy with his role at Red Bull, in part triggered by the Horner fiasco, and will now leave his role after 18 years.
Newey is undoubtedly the most successful designer in modern Formula One and a highly influential figure in this dominant Red Bull team.
The news he is leaving will likely spark a bidding war for his services, with Ferrari considered to be in pole position for his signature.
Red Bull said in a statement: “The engineering supremo will step back from Formula One design duties to focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the hugely anticipated RB17. He will remain involved in and committed to this exciting project until its completion.
“We’d like to thank Adrian for our achievements in the time that we have worked together so far.
“He has been instrumental for us in achieving a remarkable seven Formula One drivers’ and six constructors’ championship titles – totalling 118 victories and 101 poles including the STR 2007 pole and victory.”
Here’s everything you need to know about why Newey is leaving, what that means for Max Verstappen and Red Bull, and where he could go next.
Why Adrian Newey is leaving Red Bull
There are a number of factors at play with any contract negotiations, but the most public issue is the ongoing Christian Horner scandal.
Horner was accused of controlling and inappropriate behaviour by a female colleague, accusations he has continually denied and was cleared of by an independent investigation.
The woman involved has appealed against this decision and has been interviewed recently as part of this appeal.
The scandal has created significant backroom rifts within F1’s most successful team, with Max’s father Jos Verstappen saying he felt like Red Bull would be “torn apart” and “explode” if Horner did not leave.
It has even split the team at the most senior level – majority owner Chalerm Yoovidhya is believed to back Horner, while 49 per cent stakeholder Mark Mateschitz would prefer him gone.
Newey has noticeably not put his support behind Horner or reaffirmed his faith in the team in public at any point this season.
He is believed to struggle with the lack of internal transparency and have issues with the culture which has developed within the team.
In a statement, Newey said: “Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars. My dream was to be an engineer in Formula One, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality.
“For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning Team.
“However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself. In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the Team my focus will lie there.
“I would like to thank the many amazing people I have worked with at Red Bull in our journey over the last 18 years for their talent, dedication and hard work. It has been a real privilege, and I am confident that the engineering Team are well prepared for the work going into the final evolution of the car under the four-year period of this regulation set.
“On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian, who has not only been my business partner but also a friend of our respective families. Also, thanks to Oliver Mintzlaff for his stewardship and Eddie Jordan, my close friend and manager.”
What Newey’s exit means for Verstappen
It’s hard to judge who is Red Bull’s most important asset, but losing any of Newey, Verstappen or Horner is a significant blow to their prospects. Two or three would be disastrous.
Verstappen has previously said he would leave if team director Helmut Marko departed, but he did not go that far when asked about Newey: “I can say that everyone should stay together, but if one person wants to leave, you cannot always stop that.
“I would like Adrian [Newey] to stay and not go to another team. After all, he has a lot of knowledge.”
And that knowledge is crucial. It’s no secret that Verstappen is obsessed with winning and given Newey’s reputation as the sport’s leading designer, wherever he goes next would have a massive draw for the Dutchman.
There is also the argument that Verstappen has won everything there is to win with Red Bull, and with Newey leaving and Horner’s position still under threat, this may well be the time for a change.
The Sun has even reported that Mercedes are preparing a £128m offer to entice him away.
Where Newey could go next
Ferrari have been most-closely linked with Newey. The Italians will have Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in place by 2025, for some the most talented duo on the grid.
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Newey has already entered discussions with Ferrari and could be in place to design their 2026 car.
With Newey designing the car, the Prancing Horse could finally usher in the era of dominance they have planned to return to for so long.
These rumours are fuelled by reports that Newey’s wife has been looking at houses in Italy.
Other options include Aston Martin and Mercedes. Aston Martin are only based down the road from Red Bull’s Milton Keynes base, but have similar ambitions to Ferrari.
Newey has not been linked with Mercedes yet, but Toto Wolff is always an opportunist, especially amid continuing reports he is attempting to poach Verstappen.