Red Bull, Ferrari play down sensational Newey reports

Apr.26 (GMM) Two top Formula 1 teams have played down sensational and widespread new reports suggesting Red Bull Racing is set to lose Adrian Newey.

From De Telegraaf in the Netherlands to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport and the Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport – and a slew of other authoritative specialist sources – it is widely rumoured that star designer Newey, 65, has told Red Bull he is moving on.

The reports suggest the highly sought-after British technical mind, believed to be earning about $10 million at Red Bull annually, has grown impatient with the ongoing power struggle and Christian Horner scandal.

But amid Aston Martin’s reported huge-money offer, and even stronger speculation linking Newey with a move to Ferrari, it also appears that Newey is not happy about being shuffled aside at Red Bull for the RB17 hypercar project.

La Gazzetta correspondent Paolo Filisetti believes Aston Martin’s offer to Newey is worth a staggering $100 million in total.

A Red Bull spokesperson, however, told Agence France-Presse: “Adrian is under contract until at least the end of 2025 and we are not aware of him joining another team.”

One theory is that Newey is prepared to simply sit out 2025 altogether – and even then have to spend another full year after that on mandatory post-contract ‘gardening leave’.

The Newey rumours shifted into a high gear recently when he was spotted at the Ferrari-owned Mugello circuit for a track day in high performance cars.

Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur dismissed the gossip with a joke: “If everyone who tests at Mugello sign with Ferrari, we’ll have to buy a bus to bring them to us.”

When asked about the Newey rumours on the F1 aan Tafel program, well-known Dutch motor racing insider Frans Verschuur said: “Adrian is only at Red Bull in name only.

“If Red Bull lets him go, they will at least save on wages. (Pierre) Wache is the man who actually builds the car, not Newey,” he added.

“His time has also passed,” Verschuur continued. “Just as I think (Lewis) Hamilton’s time has passed.”