Last Updated on September 14 2024, 8:38 am
As well as team boss Christian Horner, former Red Bull Racing driver, Robert Doornbos, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Adrian Newey’s much publicised move to Aston Martin claiming that the team won’t let Newey “get away with this” and that he should not show up to work this week after agreeing to the Aston Martin presentation last week. The news of Newey’s departure, announced just before the Miami Grand Prix, has sent shockwaves through the Formula One paddock.
Not only has Red Bull team principal Christian Horner shared his frustration, but there are growing concerns about what this means for Red Bull and Max Verstappen in the future. Doornbos, for his part, believes Verstappen could follow Newey to Aston Martin.
Newey’s sudden departure shocks Red Bull
The announcement of Adrian Newey’s move from Red Bull to Aston Martin came as a surprise, especially given his long association with the Milton Keynes-based team. Since leaving Red Bull, Newey has had no shortage of suitors, with Ferrari reportedly making an attempt to acquire his expertise. Doornbos hinted that Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton might even have considered sacrificing part of his salary to bring Newey on board.
Doornbos sympathised with Red Bull and acknowledged the significance of Newey’s departure.
“It’s a blow for Red Bull. Max [Verstappen] has also said he’d rather not see him go,” said Doornbos. Indeed, Newey’s influence on Red Bull’s cars has been instrumental in shaping their dominance of the sport over the years, making his departure all the more significant.
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Verstappen on Aston Martin’s radar?
The central figure in Newey’s move to Aston Martin is Lawrence Stroll, the billionaire businessman who owns the team. Stroll has made no secret of his intention to improve Aston Martin’s performance in F1, and securing Newey is a significant step towards that goal. Stroll’s financial commitment to the project is considerable, with Doornbos noting that the Canadian entrepreneur has an additional £1.5 billion at his disposal to strengthen the team. But securing Newey could be just the start, with attention now turning to Verstappen.
“Stroll has gone all in with Newey and now the next logical step would be to go after Verstappen,” Doornbos remarked, highlighting Aston Martin’s growing ambitions. The possibility of Verstappen joining Aston Martin, especially with Newey and Honda set to be part of the team, is a tantalising prospect.
“It’s only logical that Verstappen’s management would start discussions. Every team wants Verstappen,” said Doornbos, echoing the sentiments of Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack.
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Aston Martin’s ageing drivers: A cause for concern
Another factor feeding the Verstappen-Aston Martin rumours is the team’s current driver line-up. With Fernando Alonso turning 45 in 2026 and Lance Stroll, the son of Lawrence Stroll, yet to consistently prove his ability to win races, Aston Martin is facing a potential problem.
Doornbos highlighted this weakness during his appearance at the Dutch media Ziggo Sport Race Café, admitting that while Stroll could theoretically win a Grand Prix in a Newey-designed car, the team’s long-term driver prospects remain uncertain.
“Stroll senior is in a tricky position,” Doornbos observed.
“In 2026, Alonso will be 45 years old and the other driver will be Lance Stroll. It’s not inconceivable for Stroll to win a Grand Prix, especially with Newey’s designs, but he’s certainly not Verstappen. The implication here is clear: while Newey’s technical prowess can boost a car’s performance, the team still needs a top driver to make the most of it – hence the potential Verstappen move.”
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Horner’s frustration at Newey’s exit
Following Newey’s announcement, Christian Horner was reportedly less than pleased. “Obviously it was a big announcement from Aston Martin,” said Horner.
“Adrian has always tended to do his own thing.” Horner’s comment reflects the autonomy Newey has enjoyed throughout his career, but the timing of the announcement has caused friction.
Red Bull made it clear back in May that Adrian Newey would not be continuing with the team after the current season. But Horner is particularly frustrated that Aston Martin chose to announce the move five months before Newey’s contract with Red Bull officially ends. While such moves are not uncommon in the world of F1, where teams often poach talent from each other, the timing of Aston Martin’s announcement struck a nerve.
“It was a big moment for the team and they decided to celebrate him, perhaps a little prematurely – before he finished his contract with Red Bull Racing,” said Horner during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, making it clear that he felt the announcement could have waited until Newey had fully completed his duties at Red Bull.
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Red Bull deny Newey return?
Despite joining Aston Martin, Newey is still contracted to Red Bull until March 2025, where he will continue to be involved in the development of the RB17 hypercar.
Doornbos explained that Horner finds it particularly galling that Newey can be seen promoting Aston Martin one day and then returning to work on Red Bull projects the next. Indeed how could Red Bull allow Newey back in the factory with his Red Bull hat back on?
“He’s just done an announcement standing in front of an Aston Martin logo and then he jumps in his car and drives to Milton Keynes to work on the RB17,” Doornbos said, highlighting the unusual situation.
“He only has to drive 27 kilometres between the two factories, but what’s going on here? Do you think you can get away with it?” hinting at the fact that Newey is unlikely to be too welcome back at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes.
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A stormy exit for Newey
The tension between Newey’s current commitments to Red Bull and his future with Aston Martin has left a sour taste in the mouths of many at Red Bull, including Horner. Doornbos suggests that Horner and the team are likely to remove Newey from the racing environment altogether, with the famed designer now being asked to work on the RB17 remotely.
“He won’t be travelling to the races any more, he’ll just be finishing the RB17 from a distance,” speculates Doornbos.
For a man who has been so integral to Red Bull’s success, this is an awkward and less than celebratory exit. Doornbos, like many others, sees it as a disappointing end to a highly successful relationship between Newey and Red Bull.
“It is not a nice exit after so much success,” lamented Doornbos.
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The future for Red Bull, Verstappen and Aston Martin
Newey’s departure is undoubtedly a significant shift in the dynamics of Formula One. For Red Bull, the focus will now be on maintaining their lead without the guidance of their long-time technical guru. For Aston Martin, Newey’s arrival could be the start of a new era, but questions remain about their driver line-up and how competitive they will be by 2026.
As for Verstappen, his loyalty to Red Bull will be tested in the coming years, especially if Newey and Aston Martin prove to be a serious threat on the grid. Lawrence Stroll’s deep pockets and Newey’s brilliance could well lure the Dutchman to new pastures.
Time will tell how these dramatic moves play out, but one thing is certain: F1’s ever-changing landscape continues to provide plenty of intrigue.
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