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Which F1 team is most likely to secure Newey's signature?
Adrian Newey will leave Red Bull Racing. Newey reportedly wants to remain active in Formula 1. GPblog lists the options available to Newey.
The most obvious choice seems to be Ferrari. Newey has never made it a secret that he had once wanted to work for Ferrari. So far in his career he has never been able to make that switch.
The biggest stumbling block so far has been moving. Newey would like to fully commit to a project and knows that he cannot manage a team in Italy from England. This also requires something from his family. While he has always said 'no' to previous bids from the Maranello team, now seems to be the ideal time to switch.
With Frederic Vasseur, there is a stable team boss at the helm who knows very well what it takes to be successful in Formula 1. After bringing in Lewis Hamilton, bringing in Newey would perhaps be an even bigger stunt. Newey would thus kill two birds with one stone. The Briton regretted never having worked at Ferrari, but also that he had never worked with Lewis Hamilton. That could happen now.
Aston Martin is also an interesting option for Newey. No need to move in that case, as the Silverstone factory is a stone's throw from the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes. Newey is also familiar with the brand. In fact, he previously designed the Aston Martin Valkyrie as well.
Newey would also be reunited with Honda at Aston Martin. From 2026, the Japanese engine suppliers will become the British team's engine supplier, making it a true factory team. With Fernando Alonso, there is also a star on board, who has also never worked with Newey before and has just extended his contract.
Mercedes
The final option is Mercedes. Given their performance, you would think Mercedes would do everything possible to bring in Newey, but that does not seem to be the case yet. With James Allison, the team has an in-house technical director and bringing in Newey may well upset the team as a result.
Still, you cannot deny that Mercedes understands little about the current regulations. Newey understands them very well. Besides, Toto Wolff is also chasing Max Verstappen's signature. Should Mercedes manage to lure Newey in, it is only more likely that Verstappen will sign.