Adrian Newey is one of the most iconic formula 1 designer of all time, and his genius was on full display at Red Bull Racing for almost 20 years – but according to a long-time BBC reporter Andrew Benson, he’s on his way out. According to sources familiar with the matter, Newey cited The behavior of Christian Horner following allegations that his mistreatment of a female employee was the main reason for his departure.
At the moment, reporters like Benson, who are very familiar with the situation, suspect that Newey’s next move could be to a team like Ferrari. Many drivers, engineers and designers hope to end up with the Scuderia at some point in their careers thanks to the team’s incredible longevity in Formula 1, but there’s an added twist: seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton is also close to doing so , to move to Ferrari in 2025.
Let’s back things up a bit. Back in February, Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner was investigated over allegations of inappropriate and controlling behavior towards a female employee. While that fact alone might be enough to encourage anyone to question their involvement with the team, the chaos that followed was apparently the key factor in the ousting of people like Newey.
Accordingly Motorsport.com, the relationship between Newey and Horner broke down “in the wake of the power struggle that took place earlier this year after a female employee made allegations against him.” It’s unclear what exactly is meant by “power struggle,” but it appears that the Horner investigation has created a domino effect that has exacerbated ongoing issues with key people in the team. Horner and Helmut MarkoRed Bull’s F1 program director, has publicly argued about everything from the departure of driver Sergio Perez to his possible replacement by star driver Carlos Sainz Jr Max Verstappen is said to be exploring other options for 2025, while his father Jos Verstappen has publicly called for this Horner fires.
As for Newey’s possible departure, I quote BBC’s Andrew Benson complete:
He received offers from Ferrari and Aston Martin. Sources close to him have told me that he is seriously considering Ferrari but has no interest in moving to Aston Martin.
But I wouldn’t rule out someone else stepping in for him. Not every team could afford him. But McLaren and Mercedes certainly could – and a visit there would bother Newey less domestically, even if it didn’t have the same romantic appeal as Ferrari.
Additionally, Motorsport.com reports that Newey had felt for some time that Christian Horner had deliberately downplayed the designer’s importance since last year. Red Bull Racing underwent a significant restructuring, with Newey being moved away from the role of technical team leader in favor of Pierre Wache Horner explains that the team “does a wonderful job and is therefore not dependent on Adrian.” Newey’s wife Amanda described this statement on social media as “a load of nonsense”.
Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull Racing would be a big blow for the team, of course. Should Newey move to a rival and design a car that could unseat Red Bull’s current machine, it would be even worse for Red Bull. Should driver Max Verstappen Also Go ahead, well… Christian Horner better be ready to prove he’s just as important to the team as he intends to be.
It sounds like Newey could publicly announce his departure in the lead-up to or aftermath of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix; We will update this story as we learn more.