Adrian Newey, the most successful Formula One car designer of the modern era is to leave Red Bull early in 2025, preparing the way for a potential move to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari when the seven-time champion leaves Mercedes to race for the Scuderia next season.
Red Bull announced the 65-year-old is to leave the team after almost two decades on Wednesday. Newey joined a year after the team was formed in 2006 and has since helped steer them to a series of remarkable successes. He has designed cars that have won seven drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships for Red Bull.
His decision to leave is a major blow for the team with Newey’s talents highly sought-after across the paddock. A move to fulfil his ambition to work with both Hamilton and Ferrari is considered to be his likely destination.
Last year, Newey revealed that in an extraordinarily successful career that has included his cars winning five drivers’ titles with Williams in the early 90s and two with McLaren later that decade, he still felt he would like to work with Hamilton and Ferrari.
Ferrari are eager to sign the Briton having made him their latest offer this year. Money would not be considered an object in persuading him to go to Maranello with the team principal, Fred Vasseur, understood to have engaged in discussions with Newey.
Newey was thought to have a gardening leave clause in his contract that would have prevented him from joining another team for a further 12 months, but this has apparently been negated, with Newey free in the “first quarter of 2025” according to Red Bull.
It suggests his intent is to continue in F1 rather than retiring. Beginning a new career with Ferrari in 2025 would enable him to be at the forefront of the design of their car for the new regulations set for 2026.
The decision will have a major impact at Red Bull although they believe they are well-placed to continue without Newey, who will remain working at Red Bull on its hypercar project, the RB17, for the remainder of this year and continue to attend some F1 meetings. They recently agreed a new contract with the technical director, Pierre Waché, who has also been a fundamental player in their car design.
However, Newey’s departure may also affect the position of the world champion, Max Verstappen. The Dutchman’s future at Red Bull is under question after the furore that has surrounded the team this season and the loss of the designer who has been fundamental to their success will probably give him cause for further consideration.
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Newey is reported to have been unsettled by the events that have overshadowed Red Bull this year after the team principal, Christian Horner, was investigated by Red Bull’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, when an employee made allegations of coercive and controlling behaviour against him, which he denies.
The grievances were dismissed after an independent investigation, a decision being appealed against by the claimant. The turmoil that has since engulfed the team, considered to be part of a power struggle between Horner and elements of Red Bull GmbH since the death of the company’s co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz, has reportedly disquieted Newey and played a part in his departure.
Newey has yet to give any specific comment on the reasons behind him leaving. “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,” he said. “However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.”