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“That’s Why I Never Seriously Talked To Him”: Alpine Is Not ‘Ready’ to Have Adrian Newey, Claims Flavio Briatore

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Flavio Briatore(L), Adrian Newey(R)

When Adrian Newey’s Red Bull departure was confirmed early into the 2024 season, many teams reportedly scrambled for his signature. Alpine too was in the mix and there were strong links between them until Newey’s new destination—Aston Martin—was revealed.

As it turned out, Alpine was never really a frontrunner, not because Newey didn’t want to join them but because the French squad didn’t think it was right to approach him. Flavio Briatore, former team principal of the Enstone squad, revealed that his side was not quite ‘ready’ for Newey, one of the greatest aerodynamicists of all time.

When Red Bull announced that Newey was leaving, Alpine was at the bottom of the table, struggling to get close to scoring points. “Adrian is an artist. We are not yet ready for someone like him,” said Briatore to AMuS.

The Italian, who had joined Alpine as an advisor earlier this year, added, “To benefit from him, you need to have the right team around him. Maybe we’ll be ready in two or three years. That’s why I never seriously talked to him.”

This is where Aston Martin excels. Owner Lawrence Stroll has built a strong foundation, including a state-of-the-art facility in Silverstone and a brand-new wind tunnel, all of which helped entice Newey to join them.

What to expect from Newey?

Newey played huge roles in the Championship-winning success of three F1 teams—McLaren, Williams, and Red Bull. But his hunger for a new challenge prompted him to leave the Milton-Keynes-based outfit and join Aston Martin, who are hungry for the title themselves.

However, it will take some time before Newey has any direct effect on the cars. He won’t be joining the Aston Martin squad until March 2025, which means he won’t have any direct role to play in the development of the 2025 car.

However, with Aston Martin set to go big in the building of its 2026 challenger under F1’s brand-new regulations, Newey could cook something special. It could finally help Stroll achieve his long-term ambition of seeing his team be crowned world champions.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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