Adrian Newey is the aero-rockstar on the F1 grid. With his expertise, yet again, Red Bull is dominating the grid. And there is no doubt that every top team is pursuing his services, including Mercedes. However, the Briton is too happy with his current side. According to Business F1, an influencing part of that is money too.
The Milton-Keynes-based outfit is deemed to win the title this year. By winning seven out of the first seven races this season, there is no doubt over Red Bull’s supremacy.
And that taste of success added with unbelievable financial rewards is something that would be tough for any other team to take away Newey from Christian Horner’s clutches. So what exactly is there for Newey by sticking with Red Bull?
$5,000,000 incentive that is keeping Adrian Newey satisfied
After Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Newey is among the top three earners at Red Bull. Therefore, his salary is exempted from the cost cap’s scrutiny. As per the Business F1, the 64-year-old takes home $15,000,000 every year for designing top-notch cars for his team.
But the source also reveals that he would also bag $5,000,000 in addition if Red Bull wins the championship this year. Definitely, a lucrative sum of $20,000,000, considering Red Bull is on the way to lifting another championship. A total that only a handful of teams would like to match.
Though, Mercedes and Ferrari don’t have a dearth of funds. But what sets Red Bull apart is their trust in him since 2005 and the seamless alliance for him over there. That’s why it would be hard for Newey to be poached.
The above point stands because Ferrari particularly has tried to gain his services with some attractive offers. In 2023, Mercedes also came for him. However, Newey has refused to move away from Milton-Keynes at every turn.
It’s not like nobody can be poached from Red Bull
Newey’s loyalty to Red Bull is laudable. However, there are other few members who couldn’t resist the luxuries presented by the other teams. In 2022, one of Newey’s key aides, Dan Fallows, moved to Aston Martin, and this year is having some considerable success.
Similarly, recently, Rob Marshall, one of the pioneers in Red Bull’s engineering department, has been hired by McLaren. So, while the top man is unattainable, other teams are now targeting the vital deputies.
On both occasions, Red Bull chief Helmut Marko got irked, as he commented on Aston Martin ‘copying them’ as Fallows led the creation of AMR23. On the other hand, he also recently made a sly dig at Marshall leaving for the Woking-based team.
