It has been officially confirmed that Adrian Newey, the chief technology officer of Red Bull, will be departing from the team in early 2025.
Jos Verstappen has said he was already “afraid” that Red Bull was “in danger of falling apart” earlier this season, but that is amplified further now Adrian Newey is departing the team.
On Wednesday, it was confirmed that the chief technology officer of the team will depart in the first quarter of 2025. After nearly twenty years in the role, they will be stepping away from the Formula 1 design process to focus on concluding the Red Bull RB17 hypercar project.
Jos Verstappen: Adrian Newey leaving ‘not good for the future’ of Red Bull
Since joining the team in 2006, Newey has led the department responsible for designing all of Red Bull’s championship-winning cars, following his move from McLaren.
PlanetF1.com understands the terms of his departure should also leave him able to join a Formula 1 rival after the first quarter of 2025, should he wish to stay in the sport, and his signature is likely to be highly sought after – with Ferrari and Aston Martin both linked with having tried to poach Newey from Red Bull.
Verstappen, a former Formula 1 driver and father of the reigning three-time World Champion Max, who is currently signed with Red Bull until 2028, expresses concern about the potential risks this decision may pose for the team in the future.
Earlier this year, there were unfounded rumors about the suspension of Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. However, Verstappen now sees Newey’s departure as evidence that important individuals have the freedom to leave the team.
“The team is in danger of falling apart. I was afraid of that earlier this year,” Verstappen told Dutch publication De Telegraaf.
Currently, the situation does not align with the imperative need for key individuals to remain committed in order to maintain internal peace.
“Newey’s departure and the previous speculation about Helmut’s potential departure earlier this year do not bode well for the future.”
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Newey himself expressed that he believed it was the opportune moment for him to embark on a fresh venture. He aimed to finalize the RB17 project before departing and entrust the responsibility of the technical team to other individuals within the Red Bull organization.
Newey expressed his childhood dream of becoming a designer of fast cars.
“My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team.
“Nevertheless, I believe the current time presents a favorable opportunity to pass on that responsibility to others and embark on fresh ventures for personal growth.”
“For now, as we approach the final stages of RB17’s development, my attention will be solely on this task during my remaining time with the team. I am grateful to the exceptional individuals I have had the privilege to collaborate with at Red Bull over the past 18 years. Their remarkable talent, unwavering dedication, and relentless hard work have made our journey truly remarkable.”
I consider it a great privilege, and I have full confidence in the engineering team’s preparedness for the final phase of car evolution over the four-year duration of this regulation set.
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