Since September 10, 2024, the most sought-after non-driving personnel in Formula 1 has officially been tied to a new team. Adrian Newey will be leaving Red Bull, a decision announced months ago, to join Aston Martin for the upcoming season. This marks the end of one of the most successful partnerships in Formula 1 history after 18 years. Much speculation has surrounded the reasons for this change. Behind the scenes, it is said that a power struggle within Red Bull at the beginning of the year drove the star designer away.
Newey: The daily routine at Red Bull became monotonous
In a somewhat unusual media tour during his introduction at Aston Martin, Newey himself provided insights into his decision-making process. “It started to feel a bit dull,” Newey explained in the High Performance Podcast regarding his decision to leave Red Bull. “The guys also thought they might have to show that they can manage on their own. So I thought: Okay, let’s give them the chance to take on new challenges.”
After nearly twenty years at Red Bull, the daily routine seemed too monotonous for the Brit, making the new challenge at Aston Martin all the more enticing. “It felt like going through the motions automatically. I no longer had those ideas waking me up in the middle of the night. You just didn’t feel stimulated anymore.”
More fire for the RB17 than for Formula 1
The creative fire began to shift increasingly towards his Hypercar project, the RB17. Newey had not been actively involved in the development of the Formula 1 cars for quite some time. “With the RB17, I was waking up at night. With the Formula 1 car, that was happening less and less, and I knew that was wrong,” explained Newey.
However, Newey did not attribute the waning fire to his team. “A lot of it was my own doing; I don’t want to blame anyone else. I put myself in this situation. It would have been easiest to just sit back during the time we were dominating, cash in, and go home in the evening. But I wouldn’t have been honest,” Newey opened up about his feelings.
“I felt I needed to do something to reignite myself, so I stepped back without knowing what the future would hold,” Newey continued. “Whether there would be offers, perhaps even outside of Formula 1, or whether I would say, great career – I’m going sailing. I did not know. I am in a very fortunate position where I do not have to work to live, but rather live to work.”
Newey confirms: Aston Martin is the final stop in Formula 1
In March 2025, Adrian Newey will thus write his next chapter in Formula 1. The star engineer has already had several stops throughout his nearly 45 years in Formula 1 and has repeatedly left his mark. More on this here:
However, his new major project at Aston Martin is expected to be the last in his remarkable career given his advanced age. “Next year, I will be 66 years old. Working another four to five years, into my seventies, has to be enough,” Newey made it clear. “My dream would be to act a bit like Rory Bryne at Ferrari, where I am a respected, valued consultant without being involved every day.”
Interestingly, Newey himself did not expect to switch teams again. “Even if you had asked me two or three years ago whether I wanted to go somewhere else, I would have said: No way,” Newey said. But how did he come to change his mind in the autumn of his career?
“But in the last twelve months, things have changed a bit. In Suzuka, there was a point where I felt that I wasn’t being honest with myself if I stayed. I needed to do something different,” Newey explained.