Is the Red Bull F1 empire at risk of collapsing following Adrian Newey’s departure?
Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché has confirmed the team are excluding Adrian Newey from technical meetings, revealing the team “are being very careful” around the outgoing F1 design guru.
Red Bull announced earlier this month that Newey will leave the team in early F1 2025, having masterminded the team’s success with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen over the last two decades.
Adrian Newey phased out by Red Bull as F1 2025 exit looms
Newey confirmed ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix that he is likely to seek a fresh start with another team amid rumours that the 65-year-old has already signed a contract to join Ferrari.
During the recent Miami GP, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner disclosed that the gradual removal of Newey has already begun. As part of this process, the chief technical officer is being denied access to data and excluded from technical meetings in Florida.
Within Red Bull’s technical structure, Waché is regarded as an efficient replacement for Newey. Horner specifically acknowledges the Frenchman for his significant contribution to the team’s success in recent years.
In depth: Adrian Newey’s next move
Adrian Newey’s next move: Ranking F1 legend’s options for life after Red Bull
Five reasons why Adrian Newey returning to McLaren F1 team makes little sense
In January, Amanda Newey, the wife of Red Bull’s designer Adrian Newey, expressed her disagreement with Horner’s statement on Twitter, deeming his claim that Red Bull no longer depends on Newey as “utter nonsense.”
Waché, in an interview with Sky F1 at Imola, emphasized the importance of reducing Newey’s participation as he prepares to leave Red Bull. This decision stems from worries that he might share confidential information with his future employers.
He argued that despite Newey’s status as the most accomplished figure in F1 history, he should be treated like any other Red Bull departure.
Waché explained that currently, there is a risk of losing intellectual property (IP) to a competitor when someone leaves, regardless of their name. This risk is particularly significant for the current car and even more so for future car development.
“We are exercising great caution, a lesson I acquired from him!”
Losing someone as significant as him is definitely a setback. His absence brings a noticeable lack of expertise, although we have been managing to operate without him in certain aspects for a while now.
“We are aware of the quality of our team members, and only time will reveal the challenges that lie ahead. Nevertheless, we are ready to face whatever comes our way.”
Honestly, his absence from some races last year does not fundamentally alter our perspective.
When asked about the impact of Newey’s departure on Red Bull, Waché restated his belief that the team will prosper even in his absence.
He responded, “His intelligence and sharpness, mainly due to his experience. Losing that aspect would be a definite loss for us.”
“However, we have previously attempted to operate without his involvement, and we plan to persist in doing so. Although it presents a significant hurdle, we are determined to embrace this challenge and overcome it.”
Newey’s arrival at Ferrari would result in the formation of an F1 superteam, consisting of Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time World Champion who caused a stir in February by announcing his multi-year contract with the Scuderia starting from F1 2025, and Charles Leclerc, who is widely recognized as the quickest driver in terms of a single lap.
When asked about his concerns regarding Newey potentially joining Ferrari, Waché responded by stating that assessing someone’s personal decision to move elsewhere is quite challenging. He acknowledged that both he and Newey had changed teams in the past.
“I’m not particularly concerned, but I do have some concerns about Ferrari – as well as McLaren – nonetheless!”
“I am currently focusing on us, although he will impact the performance of their car.”
Waché expressed his hesitance in being perceived as Newey’s successor at Red Bull, emphasizing that the team’s accomplishments are not solely reliant on one person’s influence.
He stated, “My intention is not to take his place.”
“My role is to ensure the team’s collaboration and alignment, specifically in terms of technical direction.”
My intention is not to replace him in terms of my identity. That is not my goal.
I cannot take credit for our success as it is the result of our team’s collective efforts.
“Although Adrian was once a valuable member of the team, his departure means that the team must now find a way to proceed without him.”
“The team’s success is derived from the collective efforts and contributions of various actors within the team.”
“It’s not originating from a single individual, and even less so because of me.”
Read next: The ‘sadness’ of ‘pin sharp’ Adrian Newey’s Red Bull departure revealed
