Red Bull Racing has responded to rumors of Adrian Newey’s potential move to Ferrari, confirming his contract duration and his current commitments with the team.
Adrian Newey, the renowned technical mastermind behind Red Bull Racing’s success is rumored to be considering a move to Ferrari. However, the team has publicly responded stating they are unaware of his plans to join another team.
On Thursday, reports from Auto Motor und Sport and BBC Sport surfaced that Red Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey is set to part ways with the Milton Keynes-based squad.
Newey, who has been with Red Bull since 2007 after a switch from McLaren, has been rumoured as eyeing up a new team, possibly due to his discontent with the internal politics within the organisation over recent months following an internal investigation into team boss Christian Horner.
With the investigation dismissed by Red Bull GmbH, a power struggle became apparent as Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, called for Horner’s job while the possibility of Helmut Marko being suspended had Max himself making his position clear that, without the Austrian, his own Red Bull future would be in doubt.
With the employee around which the investigation centred suspended by Red Bull as internal enquiries are carried out, Newey was said to have grown weary of the turmoil and, recently, rumours have suggested that Aston Martin and Ferrari are making big-money plays to secure his signature.
However, sources have reported that no preparations are being made for a Newey departure from Red Bull and that the 65-year-old has not given any form of notice that he intends to leave the squad prior to the end of his existing contract.
In response to the swirling rumors, Red Bull has made a point to clarify their stance, reinforcing Newey’s current contractual obligations with the team. Last year, he signed a new deal that will see him remain employed by Red Bull until the conclusion of 2025
“Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025 and we are unaware of him joining any other team,” a spokesperson from Red Bull Racing stated emphatically.
Newey’s career at Red Bull has been illustrious, having joined the team in its early stages and driving it to its first Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships from 2010 through 2013. His latest contributions have been crucial in adapting to the new ‘ground-effect’ car regulations, which considerably influenced the car designs to enhance aerodynamic performance.
Red Bull’s technical operations day-to-day are now managed by Pierre Waché, which indicates a shift in responsibilities and perhaps a diminishing of Newey’s direct control over some areas of the team’s engineering efforts.
He has diverted some of his attention across to the Red Bull RB17 hypercar project in recent weeks, was on the ground for the F1 team at the Japanese Grand Prix, and is set to appear on the pit wall again at the upcoming Miami Grand Prix.
This change could affect Newey’s decision-making about his future, feeling that his direct influence is waning as the team evolves.
But this does leave the door open for Newey to decide he no longer wants to work for Red Bull in F1 and take the financial hit of comfortably sitting on the sidelines until 2026, when he will be eligible to return to the paddock.
He also has the option of retiring outright if he decides against remaining in F1.
