Jacques Villenueve suspects the real reason why he thinks Adrian Newey left Red Bull

Ferrari has frequently shown interest in Adrian Newey.

Jacques Villeneuve believes Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull has in part come down to the “relentless” off-track issues that have “nothing to do with racing” at the team.

On Wednesday, Red Bull made an announcement stating that Newey will depart from the company during the first quarter of 2025. During this time, he will temporarily step away from his Formula 1 design responsibilities to concentrate on finalizing the RB17 hypercar project. The hypercar is scheduled to be available for purchase in mid-2025.

Jacques Villeneuve: Adrian Newey’s Red Bull departure ‘understandable’

Newey himself cited the wish to work on other projects and “hand that baton over” to other Red Bull designers having spent 18 years at the top of the technical team, with 13 combined Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles there to date.

However, according to 1997 World Champion Villeneuve, he believes that it was him, through team founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who was the one responsible for “keeping everyone together,” and after his passing, there has been a rise in “internal conflicts.”

Given the “snowball effect” of various high-level individuals in the company desiring different things simultaneously, the Canadian opines that Newey’s decision to end his esteemed career at Red Bull was likely inevitable.

“It’s understandable that he’s leaving Red Bull,” Villeneuve told Crypto Casino LTD.

There is an excessive amount of non-racing related activities that are overwhelming and persistent, refusing to disappear.

There is an individual who is exacerbating the situation, and their constant victories in every race are not sufficient. Even when things are going well, people still manage to find issues.

Newey possesses the skill of assembling a competent team around him. As a team leader, he excels and maintains a harmonious working relationship with the drivers.

Although he isn’t the solution to every problem, he is undeniably a visionary. Having him on your side is preferable because he has consistently proven to be the best for numerous years.

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Dietrich tightly gripped the ring, exerting a powerful control over everyone present. With the collapse of the pyramid at Red Bull, internal conflicts have now erupted. Strangely enough, it has drawn in individuals who should be uninvolved observers.

The situation has evolved into a snowball effect, with multiple parties exerting influence.

“It has become overly personal, which is quite astonishing. Why can’t it be resolved privately?”

“It is inherent in our nature as humans to not rest on our laurels. We are inclined to seek out problems, even in times of success.”

It is exceedingly challenging to maintain dominance over an extended period since someone will inevitably desire greater benefits from it.

Read next: Adrian Newey explains the main reason behind stunning Red Bull departure

Red Bull Adrian Newey Jacques Villeneuve