Helmut Marko shares his thoughts on Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull.
After seemingly hinting that Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin, Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko brushed that off and instead gave a new prediction for which team he believes Newey will sign for.
After the surprising news of Newey’s departure from Red Bull, he will become a free agent in early 2025. It is not unexpected that numerous teams are already being associated with efforts to retain Newey, who is renowned for designing Formula 1 cars that have won a total of 25 championships. This interest is particularly evident due to the significant regulatory changes set to take place in 2026.
Helmut Marko hints Adrian Newey heading for Ferrari
Newey has not closed the door on extending his F1 career into that new era, when sweeping chassis and power unit changes are introduced. And Marko admitted to oe24 – in reference to Newey – that he is “afraid he’ll be with a rival team” by that stage.
And with his “great colour like green” hint, it seemed Marko was teasing Aston Martin as Newey’s next destination.
In contrast to his previous statement, he now claims that he was simply “misunderstood.” He then presents a new proposal, adding to the existing speculation that Newey might eventually join Ferrari.
Marko clarified, “It seems I was misunderstood. Instead, I would suggest going with red.”
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Red Bull has chosen to downplay the significance of Newey’s departure and instead emphasize the preparedness of the senior staff structure to mitigate any negative effects.
However, although Marko acknowledges the Red Bull technical team’s strong condition, he emphasizes the significance of the “legendary” Newey, particularly in maximizing the benefits of regulation changes.
“Marko hailed Newey as a legendary figure, acknowledging him as the finest F1 designer. According to Marko, Newey truly excelled when faced with regulatory changes, as he possessed an exceptional ability to harness the new interpretations to their utmost potential.”
Having Newey as a figurehead made it significantly easier to attract young engineers, as it was considered an honor for them to collaborate with him.
Contrarily, our technical team comprises a diverse range of individuals, including both seasoned professionals like Pierre Waché, our technical director, and young talent. In times of trouble, Newey frequently demonstrated his ability to promptly devise solutions.
Red Bull’s dominance in the F1 era owes much to Newey’s profound understanding of ground effect aerodynamics. This has raised questions about whether the team can sustain this success without his expertise. Conversely, some individuals within Red Bull are purportedly glad to finally receive recognition for their contributions, now that Newey is no longer in the spotlight.
However, despite the disappearance of the Newey mystique for Red Bull, Marko remains confident that they will not experience a decline.
Marko stated that although the myth surrounding Newey will disappear, he does not believe there will be a decline in technical performance.
“Our focus now lies on the World Championship as we strive to steer the team back on course.”
Red Bull appears to be in a strong position to secure another championship double in F1 2024. Max Verstappen is leading the Drivers’ Championship, while the team is at the top of the Constructors’ standings.
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