Last Updated on September 10 2024, 3:11 pm

Since he announced his Red Bull resignation, Adrian Newey has been front an centre this Formula One season like no other engineer in the history of the sport. He is regarded by many to be the greatest F1 car designer in history with more than 200 Grand Prix wins credited to his creations.

Newey has won twelve constructors’ championships with three different F1 teams and thirteen drivers’ titles with seven different drivers. Yet Adrian has never worked with two of the modern great F1 racers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

On hearing of his Red Bull departure, Lewis Hamilton made a pitch for Newey to join him next year at Ferrari. Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix the seven times champion said: “If I was to do a list of people I would love to work with, he would absolutely be at the top of it.

 

 

 

Ferrari miss out

“Adrian has such a great history, track record he has done an amazing job through his career, engaging with teams, the knowledge that he has. It would be a privilege to work with him.” However, Hamilton was careful not to upset his new colleagues in Maranello by hastily adding: “I think they’ve Ferrari already got a great team, they’re already making huge progress, strides forward – their car’s quicker this year. But yeah, it would be a privilege to work with him.”

Well todays news means it will be the other modern legend Newey will be working with and dreams of an Alonso third title will already be on many F1 fans wish list. He apparently required too much control for Maranello’s liking.

Besides spending $200m in new facilities in Silverstone, Aston Martin have been quietly recruiting the personnel required to make a bid for race wins and championships. One key individual which went under the radar for many F1 fans was that of Dan Fallows from Red Bull. He was Newey’s right hand man for years and prior to today’s announcement he had undisputed dominion over the Aston Martin technical team.

Before the summer break, the man responsible for years of Mercedes dominance with their new V6 Turbo hybrid was also brought in house at Aston Martin F1, replacing Marin Whitmarsh as group CEO. With a transition from Mercedes power to Honda in 2026, Cowell brings a wealth of experience in how the car and the powertrain must be sympathetically designed.

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FI regulations too restrictive?

However, one voice in the wilderness is already questioning the wisdom of New’s decision before he’s even started work. Peter Windsor ex-Ferrari chief believes there are complications Newey will face at Aston Martin which were not present at Red Bull.

In recent years Newey has been critical of the FIA car design regulations for being too restrictive. He almost retired when the 2022 regulations were announced given the lack of latitude he felt they delivered.

Of course history shows Newey nailed the new rules and Max Verstappen should benefit from the latest iteration of the RB18 of 2022 to claim his fourth world title in a row.

Whilst the FIA announced on time in June their new design rules for 2026, there were a number of TBA’s floating around. This for now is not restricting the teams who are banned from properly working on any active aerodynamic components until January next year.

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Newey can’t make a difference

Windsor believes the new regulations when finalised will define whether Newey is a success at Aston Martin or not, also warning for the mild mannered Englishman that he will face a political environment unlike at Red Bull.

“The only thing that could go wrong there is that the regulations for 2026 may be so draconian that there is less Adrian Newey can do with them in any other era of F1. The other is, he’s not 34 he’s in the backstages of his life and whether it’s the same Adrian remains to be seen,” said Windsor today.

“There is a certain political weight in working for the Stroll’s and how much Adrian will enjoy that remains to be seen. Fernando will bring a smile to his face, but you can only do that for so long.”

Whether Newey is a success in what is a project for Lawrence Stroll to propel his son to becoming F1 world champion, only time will tell. Yet Newey made an interesting revelation non his reasoning for leaving Red Bull, something TJ13 has repeatedly suggested in recent months.

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Politics at Aston Martin

Amongst the copious paragraphs off ‘Newey speak’ today, the following is key to the thinking from the former Red Bull man. “It’s well known in 2014 with the hybrid engine, we were in a position where we didn’t have a very competitive PU and with no light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“So that’s when I felt I needed something else to kind of also be involved in, which of course became Valkyrie.”

To keep Adrian stimulated he was encouraged to work with Aston Martin, while the rest of the team continued designer the Red Bull F1 cars.

“Once we got the Honda PU, it was a very different position and so then I got back involved on the Formula 1 side with the 16, I think it was 14, 15, 16, 16B and then the 18 and so forth. 

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Red Bull design team now “mature”

“But certainly it’s now a very mature team [Red Bull], so I felt able to, once we got through the peak of designing the research and design of the 22 car, the big regulation change car, to step back a little bit because the 23 and this year’s car are very much evolutions of that first 22 car.”

TJ13 has repeatedly reported the times when Newey considered quitting Red Bull Racing, particularly since Horner did his job to ensure should Newey leave there would be no gaping hole in the team.

And with his very expensive personal sports car racing habits, more than treble the salary Red Bull were paying will buy the odd classic car or two more for Adrian Newey to crash.

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Close friend of Verstappen says no to Ferrari

The race engineer who shares a close bond with Max Verstappen has turned down offers from top teams in an apparent act of loyalty to the Dutchman and Red Bull Racing – In a time of significant transition within Red Bull Racing, not everyone is jumping ship.

Gianpiero Lambiase, one of the most influential figures within the team and a pivotal figure in Max Verstappen’s success, has chosen to remain with the Austrian team despite lucrative offers from rival teams, including Ferrari.

Lambiase, known as the man behind Verstappen’s racing strategies and the voice Verstappen hears during intense Grand Prix battles, has reportedly turned down a tempting offer from Ferrari, as well as one from Mercedes. His decision highlights his loyalty to Red Bull Racing, even as the team grapples with internal changes and high-profile departures… READ MORE