Adrian Newey's Next Move: Will F1's Legendary Designer Join Ferrari or Aston Martin?
Adrian Newey, the departing Red Bull Chief Technical Officer, has revealed that he plans to make a decision on his next career move in Formula 1 by this winter. After nearly two decades of innovation and championship victories with Red Bull, Newey is now considering his future, and the F1 world is on tenterhooks.
In a bombshell announcement two months ago, Red Bull confirmed that Newey had expressed his wish to conclude his illustrious tenure with the team. With 25 championships under his belt, Newey is arguably the most decorated designer in F1's history. Fans and pundits alike are eagerly speculating about his next destination, with Newey himself hinting at a desire to remain in the sport.
Rumors have linked Newey with a move to Ferrari, suggesting that a 'Super Consultant' role may already be verbally agreed upon. However, Aston Martin has also entered the fray, reportedly offering Newey a private tour of their Silverstone headquarters as they seek to secure his coveted signature.
When asked for an update by Sky Sports F1, Newey admitted he remains undecided amidst the swirling speculation. 'I don’t know,' he said. 'At the moment, I’m still working on the RB17 [Red Bull hypercar], and then just taking some time off. Last week, we took seven days off and had great fun driving around the South Coast with our dogs in an old Aston Martin DB6.'
Aston Martin boss Mike Krack has remained tight-lipped about their pursuit of Newey, although he did acknowledge feeling flattered that the team was being compared to Ferrari in the hunt. Lawrence Stroll, the head of Aston Martin by way of his son Lance's racing ambitions, has been less reserved. 'It would be f**king awesome,' said Lance. 'He’s the GOAT. I mean, he’s got more championships than anyone in this paddock, so he’s someone that everyone would love to have in their team colors.'
Last season saw Aston Martin emerge as Red Bull’s closest competitor in the early rounds, only for their performance to slip as the development race ramped up. This season has proven even more challenging as updates to their AMR24 failed to yield the expected improvements, leaving the car harder to handle.
Determined to transform Aston Martin into a title challenger, the team has recently announced several high-profile acquisitions. Former Mercedes boss Andy Cowell will join as CEO in October, and reports suggest Lawrence Stroll has successfully lured Ferrari Technical Director Enrico Cardile to the team.
The impending decision from Newey could be the final piece in the puzzle for either Ferrari or Aston Martin as they seek to climb the ranks in the highly competitive F1 landscape.