Amid the reports about Adrian Newey wanting to leave Red Bull, Italian publication Gazzetta has gone one step further to fuel the rumors about the Briton going to Ferrari. Gazzetta’s Mario Salvini reported that the Maranello-based team may have to shell out over $100 million to sign Newey.
Salvini elaborated on why Ferrari may have to pay the 65-year-old such a hefty amount. While it is clear that Newey is arguably the greatest F1 car designer, his goodwill at Red Bull also plays a huge factor in his market value.
Newey has spent almost two decades at the Milton Keynes outfit. Besides, being the pillar of their F1 car designs, the Briton is also part of Red Bull’s RB17 HyperCar project.
And being the CTO of a six-time constructors’ champion outfit and having about 25 F1 championships to his name, Newey will ask for a premium salary from any team wishing to hire his services. Now, Ferrari can certainly afford to offer such kind of money, given they have always wanted to sign the Red Bull star designer.
However, Ferrari are not alone if Newey makes himself available. Aston Martin have also reportedly approached the Briton with a mega offer. Rumors about the same have been circulating ever since the Saudi Arabian GP this year.
So, as Salvini suggested the amount of $100 million for getting Newey’s signature, Lawrence Stroll-led Aston Martin are more than capable of paying that sum. However, if Newey decides to cut his ties with Red Bull, Ferrari may be his first priority as he has always wanted to work for the Prancing Horse.
Can Adrian Newey start Ferrari’s elusive revival as Red Bull implodes?
Adrian Newey could be the final piece in the perfect team puzzle for Ferrari. With Lewis Hamilton already onboard at the Maranello outfit in 2025, they now perhaps need a genius aerodynamicist like Newey to nail and polish their car concepts. Such a dream combination of drivers and technical brains could revive Ferrari to the top once again.
However, before that happens, the 65-year-old has to sort out his exit from Red Bull. The reported reasons for him looking to leave lie in the internal power struggles at the team. The Milton Keynes outfit has seen immense chaos with the controversy around Christian Horner and the resultant factions within the team, hinting at a power struggle.
Amid all this chaos, Newey is reportedly feeling isolated and stressed. Besides, some rumors also suggest that his role on the team has been undermined in the past few seasons, with Pierre Wache stepping up to the technical director’s role lately. If that is true, it makes sense why the Briton wants to get away from Red Bull’s turmoil.
However, it won’t be easy as reports suggest that Newey has a contract till the end of 2025. Besides, a leading figure like him leaving the team would require him to serve a considerable period of gardening leave as well.
The star designer will have to negotiate on the same if he is keen to start working for another team like Ferrari as soon as possible before the 2026 regulations come in. Regardless of the specifics of how this pans out, Newey’s exit from Red Bull would verify Jos Verstappen’s claim from a few months ago.
Verstappen claimed that the allegations against Horner may result in Red Bull imploding. Now, losing a figure like Newey could very well be the start of that said ‘implosion’.
