Official: Red Bull confirms Adrian Newey's departure

Rumors of Adrian Newey's departure from Red Bull were confirmed this Wednesday, May 1st. The Austrian team thus published a press release indicating the departure of its technical director in the first quarter of 2025. The brilliant single-seater designer had joined Milton Keynes in 2006 and was initially under contract until the end of the next season. However, he takes a step back from the F1 now as he will now focus on the development of Red Bull's first hypercar, the RB17.

« Ever since I was a young boy I wanted to be a designer of fast cars, says Newey. My dream was to become a Formula 1 engineer, and I was lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades, it has been my great honor to play a key role in Red Bull Racing's progression from newcomer to multi-title team.

However, I think the time has come to pass the baton to others and set myself new challenges. In the meantime, the final stages of RB17 development are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team, I will focus on that. I would like to thank the many extraordinary people I have worked with at Red Bull during our journey over the past 18 years for their talent, dedication and hard work.

This has been a real privilege and I am confident that the engineering team is well prepared for the work leading to the final evolution of the car within the four-year period of these regulations. On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian (Horner), who has not only been my business partner but also a friend of our respective families. Thanks also to Oliver Mintzlaff for his management and to Eddie Jordan, my close friend and manager. »

13 titles in 20 seasons with Red Bull

« All of our greatest moments of the last 20 years have come with Adrian's hand on the technical bar, adds Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal. His vision and genius helped us win 13 titles in 20 seasons. His exceptional ability to conceptualize beyond F1 and bring broader inspiration to car design, his remarkable talent for embracing change and finding the most rewarding areas of the rules to focus on, and his relentless drive to winning helped Red Bull to becoming a force greater than even the late Dietrich Mateschitz could have imagined.

What's more, the last 19 years with Adrian have been extremely fun. For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 championships later, he leaves as a true legend. He is also my friend and someone I will be forever grateful to for everything he has brought to our partnership. The legacy he leaves behind will echo through the halls of Milton Keynes and the RB17 Track Car will be a fitting testament and legacy to his time with us. »

Although Adrian Newey makes no mention of what his new challenges will be after Red Bull, numerous rumors in recent weeks indicate strong interest from several F1 teams to attract the 65-year-old,Aston Martin à Mercedes, Via McLaren or even Ferrari, the Scuderia being the most persistent sound. Will he join Lewis Hamilton à Maranello ?

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