Since April 2018, Zak Brown has held the position of McLaren CEO.
Zak Brown may be claiming, perhaps even hoping, that other members of Red Bull’s championship-winning design team will follow Adrian Newey out of the door but Ted Kravitz does not see that happening.
Red Bull announced in the build-up to the Miami Grand Prix that Newey would leave the team in the first quarter of 2025, calling time on a Red Bull career that spanned almost two decades.
Ted Kravitz questions Zak Brown’s ‘not the first person to leave’ claim
Newey’s exit from the current World Champions has been regarded as a significant setback, considering his remarkable track record of securing 13 championship titles with the Milton Keynes team, with two more potentially on the horizon this season.
This situation could worsen if other essential staff members decide to depart as well.
McLaren’s chief Zak Brown suggests that there is a significant likelihood of a certain event occurring as he reveals that McLaren has been receiving numerous job applications from Red Bull personnel. Toto Wolff also acknowledges an increase in applications from Red Bull staff at Mercedes.
Despite this, Christian Horner, the team boss of Red Bull, reassured that he is not concerned about losing “one or two” CVs, as they have already recruited “220” employees from Mercedes’ engine department.
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According to Sky Sports pit lane reporter Kravitz, he is skeptical that Red Bull’s key design staff will depart following Newey’s departure. He believes that Newey’s exit will provide them with an opportunity to showcase their abilities.
Kravitz reported, “Zak Brown shared his thoughts on Adrian Newey, stating, ‘I am not surprised by his decision to move on considering the destabilizing events taking place.'”
Zak insisted on emphasizing that he was not the first person to depart from Red Bull, which prompted Red Bull to release a statement refuting this claim.
“I have doubts about Zak’s accuracy in that matter. I find it hard to believe that Pierre Waché and Ben Waterhouse, along with all the others under Newey, would be let go just because he left. It simply doesn’t make sense to me.”
I believe that with Adrian leaving the team, they would feel more confident in their position, leading to greater job security and personal happiness. Furthermore, I don’t agree with Adrian’s opinion that they won’t be able to excel and become the next genius without him.
“Is Zak’s claim regarding the recent events in the power struggle between Christian and Helmut Marko causing instability within the team, leading to Adrian’s departure?”
“I’m not sure, but that’s Zak Brown’s perspective.”
“During his conversation with Martin Brundle, Adrian mentioned events that have transpired this year. Adrian Newey stated, ‘As the year progressed, I contemplated the possibility of making a change.'”
Ted Kravitz ponders Jos Verstappen’s ‘explode’ claim
However, despite his disagreement with Brown, he believes that Jos Verstappen’s claims from earlier this year about Red Bull’s potential collapse under Horner’s leadership may hold some truth.
Speaking to the Daily Mail when the Briton was investigated for inappropriate behaviour, Jos Verstappen said Red Bull would “explode” unless Horner was given the boot.
He is no longer associated with the charge, as it has been dismissed, and Newey has also departed.
Kravitz brought up the statement made by Jos Verstappen during the previous Red Bull controversies and asked if anyone recalled it. He then posed the question of whether Jos was correct.
Jos Verstappen expressed concern about the ongoing power struggle between Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and others, stating that the team is at risk of being divided if the tension continues. Verstappen emphasized that the situation is unsustainable and predicts an imminent explosion.
“Is Jos referring to Adrian Newey’s departure? If so, Jos was indeed correct.”
Read next: Adrian Newey’s next move: Ranking F1 legend’s options for life after Red Bull
