[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by OptimusPrime1

I'll quote Red bull's official statement here:

"The Team announces that Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey will leave the Red Bull Technology Group in the first quarter of 2025.

The engineering supremo will step back from Formula 1 design duties to focus on final development and delivery of Red Bull’s first hypercar, the hugely anticipated RB17.

He will remain involved in and committed to this exciting project until its completion."

I never thought Horner's alleged scandal can actually make the gap between Red Bull and the other F1 teams close this very year which is very much possible if Newey will not be working with the F1 team starting now.

Suddenly, this season will evolve to become more competitive. Maybe we'll see some great great battles from Max with other teams.

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Originally Posted by OptimusPrime1

Based on my current understanding, Adrian Newey is stepping back from his F1 responsibilities at Red Bull and will focus solely on the RB17 Hypercar project. He will be on a 12-month gardening leave and is expected to be available as a free agent in the F1 paddock as early as the first quarter of 2025.

On a side note, many rumors now suggest that Newey is likely to join Ferrari after several meetings with Fred Vasseur.

Yep, does sound like they're making Adrian see out a year of gardening leave. If we take the restructuring of the technical dept at RBR, it should in principle still be able to continue to function as is, given their new technical lead is highly touted in the paddock.

Can imagine it'll be a nice change of pace for Adrian to work on the RB17 for a year. I realise I don't really know much about said car at all. I'm assuming it'll use an in house powertrain?

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Suddenly, this season will evolve to become more competitive. Maybe we'll see some great great battles from Max with other teams.

Dunno about this season suddenly becoming more competitive. If Adrian was more hands off from the daily development race level of work, it won't feed into the development of the current car. His input, whatever its advantages, is already baked in. But it does raise an interesting proposition for the coming years. The technical team no longer have a shadow to hide under, which means any and all shortcomings or issues with the car will solely be on their own backs.

I never thought Horner's alleged scandal can actually make the gap between Red Bull and the other F1 teams close this very year which is very much possible if Newey will not be working with the F1 team starting now.

I think the scandal was the straw that broke the camels back. I think it was more the machinations of Jos Verstappen and then Helmut up against Christian over the past few years that'll have built it all up. Once Dietrich kicked the bucket, you had Austrian management start fiddling in the race operations, which only added yet another vector of politicking within the RBR pyramid. Couple that with his recent health issues following his cycling accident, I think will've changed Adrian's perspectives somewhat. Add in the rather personal nature of Christian's alleged transgressions and yeah, one can see why a man might finally call it quits.

I don't blame him. He's long since earned the right to do as he pleases. Having said all that, the irony is if the internal politicking of RB drove him out, I can't say he's going to find a reprieve at the Scuderia. If anything the internal politics and factionalism there is far, far worse, as decades of documentation and accounts will attest to.

I think in that sense @carguy9902 might be onto something. Post Ron Dennis' ouster from the Mclaren Group, and Mansour Ojjeh's passing, it's just the Bahrainis really left and Zak Brown seems to be in lockstep with the latter. There seems to be far more of a stable background culture at the MTC, and it Would be a return of a prodigal son of sorts for Adrian to go back to Woking. Plus he'd still get to flog a hypercar of his own at Mclaren, wouldn't he be smug if he got to pen the spiritual successor to the F1 (though Gordon's T50 might be that..). Really depends how much of a factor the allure of working with Lewis and the Prancing Horse is vs relative peace of mind.

All that being said, to answer your original point @Turbohead, it wouldn't be the first time in F1 history, off track malarkey drastically shakes up the on track order. If anything this off track stuff has drawn back into the fold somewhat jaded fans like myself who've tuned out in the past few years.

[OptimusPrime1]

Originally Posted by ads11

Yep, does sound like they're making Adrian see out a year of gardening leave. If we take the restructuring of the technical dept at RBR, it should in principle still be able to continue to function as is, given their new technical lead is highly touted in the paddock.

Can imagine it'll be a nice change of pace for Adrian to work on the RB17 for a year. I realise I don't really know much about said car at all. I'm assuming it'll use an in house powertrain?

I'm not sure if it'll be an in-house powertrain,but that engine is going to be a beast.A naturally aspirated V10 producing 1000HP,can rev to 15,000 rpm, and is aided by an electric motor that kicks in an additional 200 hp.

Regarding F1,I think it can go either way for Red Bull,the regulations in 2026 bring massive changes to both the engine and chassis sides,so predicting about the competitiveness of Red Bull or about any team in that matter is quite difficult,maybe Lewis made right decision (about joining Ferrari)again as he did in 2013 with Mercedes,only time will tell.

Regarding Red Bull falling apart and Max moving to Mercedes,rumours say that Mercedes will be offering him a collosal $150 million deal(per year),which I highly doubt.But hey, it's Formula 1, anything can happen here.People wouldn't have believed about Lewis leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari,Newey leaving Red Bull,Ferrari finally fixing thier tire deg issues and making decent strategic calls.

[volkman10]

Adrian Newey has changed his mind and now seems closer to signing for Aston Martin than Ferrari.

The British engineer has already announced that he would leave Red Bull this season, and everything pointed to Ferrari being his next destination. Even Helmut Marko joked about it. However, this new information suggests that the agreement between Newey and Aston Martin would be close, and there has even been a visit to the factory.

Link:

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Adrian Newey has changed his mind and now seems closer to signing for Aston Martin than Ferrari.

I think at this point it's a coin toss guess between Ferrari & Aston Martin; with Mercedes & Williams too in the hunt. Williams is a far cry; given they might not have the budget to afford Newey.

What also adds value for Aston Martin bid is Newey has been quite vocal on his aspiration (/wishlist) to work with Alonso. But that's a minor point in a much larger decision logic. We'll soon know.

Ref - 1

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Originally Posted by ninjatalli

I think at this point it's a coin toss guess between Ferrari & Aston Martin; with Mercedes & Williams too in the hunt. Williams is a far cry;

Basically this. I think everyone is reading tea leaves on this one still. I've long since given to just waiting to hear from the horses mouth. I presume seeing the F1 summer break is when we'll get to know for sure.

I guess there's the romantic notion of Adrian coming back to William's for the story and the challenge. But yeah no chance Williams can pay him his market rate retainer when they have so many other pressing priorities.

Though I have a question: would his salary count under the cost cap? I mean I'm not suggesting Williams lump Adrian under their catering budget a la RBR but if it's exempt I wonder if a case can be made for Dorilton to push the boat out to bring back the seminal designer of the modern era.

[ninjatalli]

Hurdle emerges in Adrian Newey negotiations with Ferrari

Ferrari had been considered strong favourites to sign Newey, with the terms of his Red Bull departure, allowing him to start work with another team in 2025.

However, multiple reports over recent weeks have claimed that Ferrari have fallen behind Aston Martin and McLaren in the race to secure Newey’s signature.

…It was claimed that Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna has baulked at Newey’s salary demands, as well as expressing concerns that the F1 design guru would hold an inordinate amount of power within the team…

…Adrian Newey’s request for a group of 20 engineers to join him at Ferrari is behind the “abrupt halt” in negotiations between the two parties…

…the team fear an intake of 20 engineers “of some prominence” would “fall heavily” on the Scuderia’s ability to meet F1’s cost cap...

Source: link

[ex-innova-guy]

Adrian Newey has chosen Aston Martin

The Italian Autosprint publication is stating that technical guru Newey has signed a four-year deal worth a staggering $100m, with confirmation to be announced in September.

The $25m-per-year agreement has been circulating for some time, although it is half of what was allegedly being demanded by Newey's manager, former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan.

But with add-ons and incentives, it appears the two parties have reached an agreement if the article is to be believed because it does make you wonder. Not so much about its reliability, but rather how Aston Martin is to flesh this out internally.

The most persistent of these rumours have been Ferrari and Aston Martin – the Scuderia represents a mythical challenge for anyone who works in F1, and is one of the few major teams Newey has never worked for.

Aston Martin has been going through a transitionary period in recent years, with billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll transforming the resources, facilities, and infrastructure available for the former Jordan/Force India squad, and the Silverstone-based squad now has the ability to offer Newey everything he needs if he wishes for the challenge of helping the upper-midfield team become title challengers.

According to Italian publication Autosprint, this challenge is exactly what Newey has chosen. According to a report in the magazine published on Thursday, Autosprint claims with certainty that Newey – rather than moving abroad to Italy to embed himself within the very different environment of Ferrari – has chosen to stick with a UK-based team.

Source:
1, 2

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It doesn’t end here, Lawrence Stroll wants to ‘convince’ Max Verstappen to join Aston Martin!

On a charge to turn Aston Martin into a championship-winning Formula 1 team, Stroll has made key signings including Enrico Cardile from Ferrari as the team’s Chief Technical Officer from 2025 and beating almost every team on the grid to Andy Cowell, Mercedes’ former engine boss. He’ll take up his position as Group Chief Executive Officer in October.

But according to AutoSprint Stroll is by no means done.

Stroll, it’s now being claimed, wants another leading Red Bull star in Max Verstappen – so much so he’d shift his son Lance to Aston Martin’s WEC programme to make room for the triple World Champion.

Source

Would be really happy if Lance is off the grid!

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Originally Posted by ex-innova-guy

Adrian Newey has chosen Aston Martin
[/url]

Seen plenty of such stories in the last 48 hours claiming as much. If so, Jeremy Clarkson's cryptic comments to Dutch media at the Silverstone grid walk that he knew for a fact Adrian was "house hunting in Oxfordshire not Maranello" (link) will be true indeed. Was odd at the time that such a loaded comment didn't get more attention.

I'd still wait for the press release. There is a certain symmetry though, get Adrian back right as the Valkyrie programme hits the ground both on road and in the WEC.

Would be really happy if Lance is off the grid!

If only. Imagine the uproar if somehow Fernando gets binned to the WEC instead of lil' Lance. It would make logical sense to rather relegate Lance to the WEC line-up but knowing Jos, he'd probably make it conditional that Fernando isn't on the other side of the pit garage to Max. Much have a functionally useless non threatening team mate like Lance beside Max - if anything, this year Sergio has been on par with Lance on the ineptness scale. Therefore I think Nando will be sent, scowling and brooding as he is wont, to the WEC programme.

If Lawrence does manage to prize away Max I reckon having access to the Mercedes engine is going to be the big draw for the Verstappens. Given the engine heavy focus of the new regs, most chatter has been around Max's camp favouring the Merc power unit over the RBPTs effort. Wonder how Toto would feel though to be gazumped by Aston - all indications had been towards him wooing Max.

Looking forward to silly season announcements picking up pace then.

[ssjr0498]

I just hope and pray that this comes true! Imagine a line up with a championship winning car by Newey and the 2 most talented drivers of their era!! Max and the wizard Alonso..

Aaah!! I shiver at this thought!! Alonso vs Max.. wohooo!! May god provide the power and courage for the Aston team to handle these two!!

Originally Posted by ex-innova-guy

Adrian Newey has chosen Aston Martin



Source:
1, 2

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It doesn’t end here, Lawrence Stroll wants to ‘convince’ Max Verstappen to join Aston Martin!


Source

Would be really happy if Lance is off the grid!

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by ads11

If Lawrence does manage to prize away Max I reckon having access to the Mercedes engine is going to be the big draw for the Verstappens.

Aston Martin will use Honda powertrains from 2026.

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Originally Posted by StarrySky

Aston Martin will use Honda powertrains from 2026.

Oh right, good catch, I forgot this. So what's happening with Honda then? Didn't they basically sell their entire F1 engine operation, including a large amount of that IP to RBR when they announced they were leaving? I thought that's what RBPT essentially consists of minus the engineers and facilities that were in Japan obviously.

If Honda are still around having changed their mind and decided to stay, did RBR just get suckered into creating their own engine programme? It's a big old operation to have for 4 cars on the grid. Wonder if RBPT will look to do something Cosworth like to self sustain that part of the business. Unless Honda are taking back what was theirs again. I've clearly lost track of the Honda RBR engine saga

[Unstuck]

I dont think engine IP was sold to Redbull powertrains. Honda is supplying engines to Redbull powertrains, till end of 2025. RBPT cannot further develop it.

[RM Motorsports]

Newey announcement imminent ?

When last did we have a special conference from Aston Martin!

[ex-innova-guy]

Adrian Newey to AMR confirmed.



Source