The Formula 1 team’s technical director, Adrian Newey, will step down after this season.
If Formula 1 operated with a Richter scale, the latest news would register as a major sporting earthquake.
Red Bull, which has won the championship three consecutive years, will lose its director, Adrian Newey, after this season. He has long been a pivotal figure in the team, emphasized team boss Christian Horner in a press release.
“When Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 championships later, he leaves as a true legend,” says Christian Horner in a press release.
Adrian Newey joined Red Bull in 2006 and has contributed to six constructors’ titles and seven World Championships. However, this partnership will end after this season, which is bad news for Red Bull and world champion Max Verstappen, stresses DR Sports Formula 1 expert, Peter Nygaard.
“Adrian Newey is the man behind several world champions. This is the most significant event in Formula 1 this year. It’s far more important than Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari,” he emphasizes.
Adrian Newey’s role as technical director includes designing Red Bull’s successful race car. The designer’s particular expertise lies in aerodynamics, and how the car best cuts through the wind. Adrian Newey’s knowledge has helped shape the modern era of Formula 1, explains Peter Nygaard.
Adrian Newey’s departure could therefore have implications for Max Verstappen’s future, assesses Peter Nygaard. Partly because Red Bull will need to develop a new engine under new regulations in 2026, and partly because the Dutch world champion will likely reconsider his future – partly due to unrest in the garage.
Throughout the current season, Red Bull has struggled with internal disputes, stemming from a personnel issue with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, who is accused of exploiting his position over a female employee.
This issue has created a rift in the team, where, on one side, there is 80-year-old Helmut Marko, an advisor for the Red Bull team, who has enjoyed support from Max Verstappen’s father, Jos.
This has led many to speculate about Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull, and competitors such as Mercedes have indeed started to woo the Dutchman.
“Adrian Newey doesn’t want to be in the madhouse that Red Bull is turning into,” says Peter Nygaard.
“There’s speculation that Max Verstappen has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if Adrian Newey departs the team.”
