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After several days of rumors in the paddock, Adrian Newey confirmed his departure from Red Bull after almost two decades of work at the Austrian team.
In a statement published on May 1, Red Bull explained that Newey will leave the team in the first quarter of 2025:
“He will leave his Formula 1 design duties to focus on the final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the long-awaited RB17. “He will remain involved and committed to this exciting project until its completion,” the team added.
Adrian Newey will accompany Max Verstappen and Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez “in some specific races” of the 2024 season, the F1 website reported.
What did Adrian Newey say after the announcement of his departure from Red Bull?
Newey said goodbye to Red Bull, expressing gratitude for a two-decade collaboration in which he led the Austrian team to 118 victories, seven drivers’ championships and six constructors’ championships.
“However, I feel that now is an opportune time to hand over the baton to others and seek new challenges for myself. In the meantime, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the rest of my time with the team my focus will be on that,” she added.
The Team announces that Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey will leave the Red Bull Technology Group in the first quarter of 2025.
The engineering supremo will step back from Formula 1
design duties to focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the… pic.twitter.com/FSSHqzieip— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) May 1, 2024
“On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian Horner, who has not only been my business partner but also a friend. of our respective families,” he added.
In the last two decades, Adrian Newey has been one of the key characters at Red Bull and one of the most sought-after in Formula 1 because he is considered an aerodynamics genius who has driven teams and drivers to win championships.
More than one team has sought to bring him into their ranks with exorbitant salaries, according to reports, but until now he has remained firm with the ‘bulls’.
The announcement was expected prior to the start of activities at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, according to Motorsport, Newey had communicated the reasons for his decision in an internal letter.
Where is Adrian Newey going?
Newey’s new destination has not yet been revealed, the star engineer has been presented with several options on the table, including his retirement from Formula 1.
Aston Martin and Ferrari have raised their hands to take it and Mercedes has also been considered an option.
Adrian Newey’s contract: What is the aerodynamicist’s salary?
Salary is not the important thing for Newey, who according to Auto Motor und Sport has a salary that rivals that of the best drivers.
The exact amount is unknown, but rumors indicate that at Red Bull he earned around 10 million pounds a year and signed a contract until the end of 2025, but it had been mentioned that his intention was to negotiate to leave at the end of the 2024 F1 season.
Why is Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull Racing?
Auto Motor Und Sport reported in recent days that he no longer felt comfortable with the work environment at Red Bull.
Prior to the start of the 2024 season, an internal war began in the energy drinks team after accusations of inappropriate behavior by Christian Horner with an employee.
Although the team boss was acquitted, the disagreement with his permanence in office continued with a statement from Joss Verstappen, who called him a risk for Red Bull. “There is tension here as long as he remains in his position,” he told Daily Mail.
The dispute with the father of the three-time Red Bull champion was followed by insinuations about the departure of sports advisor Helmut Marko and a promise of loyalty from Max Verstappen, who has a contract until 2028 and said that he will fulfill it as long as the car is competitive:
“This is the intention, when you sign, for so long, to be here. It depends on the performance of the car. From 2026 onwards there are doubts due to the rule changes, but I already knew that when I signed and I know what they have done for me during my career… As long as we perform, there is no reason to leave,” said Max Verstappen with what seemed like the end of the ‘Bull Game’.
Without Newey, Red Bull has the challenge of maintaining a dominant car for the following seasons where key changes are coming: in 2025 there are few drivers who have a seat guaranteed, which is why there are several movements on the grid.
Furthermore, in 2026 the regulations of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) change and Audi and Ford arrive.
At the end of 2023, Horner commented on Newey’s role in the team and gave an example that Manchester United did not sink with the departure of Eric Cantona: “the technical team under him, led by Pierre Wache, is doing a job wonderful, so they don’t depend on Adrian.”
That comment reportedly upset Newey and his wife Amanda, who shared the interview on her social media and called it a “bunch of nonsense.”
Verstappen does not think the same as Horner, even stating on one occasion: “You can’t replace Adrian, because there is only one Adrian.”
Who is Adrian Newey?
Adrian Newey studied aeronautics at the University of Southampton and has worked for teams such as Fittipaldi, March, McLaren and Williams, where he worked on Ayrton Senna’s car.
He arrived at Red Bull Racing in 2006, where he held the position of Global Technical Director and won 11 constructors’ titles.
Auto Motor und Sport describes him as “more than just an aerodynamics genius. He is one of the few people in the industry who has a complete view of the car. “No one in the sector understands as much about the optimal use of tires, the importance of mechanics and car set-up.”
The Briton designed the cars of Sebastian Vettel’s dominant era and now with three-time champion Max Verstappen and a runner-up finish for Sergio ‘Checo’Pérez.