After an association of nearly two decades, Adrian Newey and Red Bull will part ways with each other in early 2025. The car design genius might switch to another team, as those still working with Red Bull ready themselves to face the oncoming season without Newey. However, Christian Horner details (as per Motorsport) the soon-to-end partnership wouldn’t hamper much of Red Bull’s plans, thanks to their “adapt and evolve” approach.
Referring to the days Red Bull has spent with Newey, Horner revealed how the British engineer is the only designer in F1 to still use a drawing board. But with the regulation changes, the confines around Newey’s role have become tighter.
Nonetheless, it did not stop them from making progress. All it took was evolution and adaptation from the Milton Keynes-based outfit, and they believe it is the key to unlocking further success in the sport.
Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Waché talks about Adrian Newey:
“Without him I wouldn’t have been at Red Bull. He was the man who brought me here. I have learned a lot from him since I arrived. The way we work together evolved with the year. He also no longer fully works for… pic.twitter.com/tyzmzwQ5vE
— This is Formula 1 (@ThisIsFormu1a1) May 4, 2024
“It has to continue to evolve and adapt, and that’s what we’ve done,” explained Horner.
Amid Adrian Newey’s change of responsibilities, Pierre Wache became Red Bull’s Technical Director. Thus far, the team has done a remarkable job under changed management, and Horner hopes to continue making such progress.
Despite a promising future amid the evolving nature of F1, a former F1 driver recently detailed how losing the genius of Adrian Newey could have ill effects on Red Bull.
Not easy to overcome losing Adrian Newey even for Red Bull
Speaking during the Miami Grand Prix weekend (quoted by Sports Illustrated), Martin Brundle discussed what Adrian Newey’s exit from Red Bull would imply. While the former F1 driver claimed the Austrian team was “absolutely sorted” moving forward, he added losing someone like Newey is never good news.
Even with reduced responsibilities around the RB20, Brundle believes Newey would drop in with a couple of ideas to make the car better. Away from the car designing element, Brundle claimed Newey would also be a good asset to have in power train development.
Christian Horner opens up to Media about Adrian Newey’s departure from the F1 Team.
“I will miss the Camaraderie”#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/rSDvcT0AEg
— Desi Racing Co. (@DesiRacingco) May 3, 2024
If he wants to move a pump or an exhaust “or whatever he needs” for better aerodynamics, Newey will find a way to adjust everything. As things stand, the future of the 65-year-old remains uncertain. Most reports suggest he could be on his way to Ferrari to work alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Meanwhile, some others claim Aston Martin and Williams are also viable destinations. However, there are also chances of Newey being burnt out after a hectic career with Red Bull, and he might be in favor of taking a sabbatical.
