A month and a half after Adrian Newey announced his departure from Red Bull Racing, speculation continues to swirl about the legendary designer’s next career move. Reports have emerged that a lucrative deal with Ferrari was signed as early as last April, reigniting talk of his future in F1.

Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull was initially justified by the renowned engineer as a necessary break from the high-stress environment of Formula One. Newey cited both physical and mental exhaustion as the main reasons for his departure.

However, he hinted that his retirement from the sport may not be permanent, stating that he still has a passion for F1, a sport he has been a part of for over four decades.

Newey’s past interactions with Ferrari are well documented. He came close to joining the Italian team on two separate occasions during his 18-year tenure at Red Bull. This history has led many F1 insiders to believe that the 65-year-old design guru could indeed join Ferrari in some capacity, probably on a well-paid consultancy basis.

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Ferrari bound or just wishful thinking?

“I just felt that now was a good time to step back and take a bit of a break and take stock of life, and go travelling a bit,” said Newey adding “Right now, there is no plan…”

Brundle who knows Newey personally stated he accepted Adrian’s word that he had not yet signed with another team, but hinted if he did in the future, the Scuderia were favourites to land the signature of the most wanted man in Formula One.

At the Monaco Historique Grand Prix weekend and speaking at a media event he shared a little more on his future intentions. “I’ll have a bit of a holiday. As Forrest Gump said at the end of his long run, I feel a bit tired at the moment. But at some point I’ll probably go again.”

Daily Mail F1 reporter Jonathan McEvoy penned an article which claimed Newey was “almost certainly Ferrari-bound”, and that the British engineer had in fact already signed a contract with the Italian outfit.

 

 

 

The BusinessF1 report

BusinessF1, a magazine renowned for its investigative reporting inside the F1 paddock, has published a detailed report claiming that Newey signed a deal with Ferrari’s top management on the 29th of April, just two days before the public announcement of his departure from Red Bull.

According to the magazine, the deal, brokered by Newey’s friend and manager Eddie Jordan, is worth $105 million for a three-year period from 2025 to 2027. Newey would reportedly receive $100 million after paying Jordan a $5 million fee for his services.

Interestingly, BusinessF1 suggests, though without confirmation, that Newey’s contract with Red Bull was not with the Red Bull Technology Group, which owns the Red Bull Racing F1 team, but rather with the Mateschitz family, specifically Mark Mateschitz, son of the late Dietrich Mateschitz.

This contractual complexity raises questions about Newey’s current status, particularly in relation to his reported eight-month gardening leave. If Newey is indeed contracted by the Mateschitz family rather than the team, the details of his employment status and contractual obligations remain unclear.

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Reasons for departure and team dynamics

The crux of Newey’s grievances and the real reasons for his departure from Red Bull have been the subject of much speculation. BusinessF1 claims that Newey wrote a letter to Mark Mateschitz expressing his disappointment with the changes within the team following the death of Dietrich Mateschitz.

According to the report, Newey stated that team principal Christian Horner had changed significantly since Dietrich’s death, leading to an erosion of the family spirit that once permeated Red Bull Racing. Newey suggested that these problems were deep-rooted and had begun long before the allegations of inappropriate behaviour were made against Horner in February.

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Denials and continued speculation

Despite BusinessF1’s detailed report, Eddie Jordan has emphatically denied that any formal agreement has been reached between Newey and Ferrari.

In a recent discussion with David Coulthard on the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan addressed similar claims made by the Daily Mail and was adamant that no such discussions had taken place with Ferrari.

“It’s really very wrong to be so blatant about [Newey] joining a particular team, and in this case he’s talking about Ferrari,” Jordan remarked.

“I’m speaking as someone who should know, and I’m not giving away any information; at no stage is there any kind of discussion [with Ferrari].

“There will be talks, and there will be ongoing talks, because we still have to decide what Adrian himself wants to do.”

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Marko hints at Newey’s next team

Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s advisor, hinted at Newey’s potential destination in his typically cryptic style, and it isn’t red.

“What colour do I see for Newey in the future? I think the red clashes a bit with the dark blue. But I think with a great colour like green anything is possible,” said Marko, alluding to Aston Martin’s iconic green.

 

 

 

The F1 rumour mill

As the speculation continues to mount, the F1 community is in a state of anticipation. In a sport where rumour and opinion often overshadow fact, the silence from Newey and Ferrari is palpable.

The future of Adrian Newey, one of the most influential figures in Formula One, remains uncertain, leaving pundits and fans alike eagerly awaiting the next development in this ongoing saga.

For now, the rumour mill is turning faster than a car in a DRS zone and the F1 paddock is abuzz with speculation as everyone waits to see where Adrian Newey will take his illustrious career next

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2026 FIA regulations under fire.

Formula One in 2026 will see the biggest regulation change in the history of the sport. For the first time both engine and chases/aero will be all new, with moveable parts both on the front and rear wing. Electrical power will be increased 300% and bio fuel will debut in the world’s premier motorsport’s competition.

Yet since the publication of the new regulations for 2026 in Canada, the FIA has been under fire for being too restrictive in its prescription of the new rules. As happened in 2022 with Red Bull Racing, one of the teams will likely ace the new regulations, claiming a big lead over the rest of the field. The question is which team will that be?

Mercedes were the masters of the 2014 switch from V8 engines to V6 turbo hybrids going on to win a record eight consecutive constructor titles, before Red Bull put a halt to their charge. Hamilton was,,,READ MORE ON THIS STORY