Newey in talks with Red Bull about departure: waiting for white smoke

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talks on farewell nemey at red bull racing ongoing
29 April at 15:29
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  • Ludo van Denderen

These are crucial days at the Red Bull Racing offices and not for the first time this season. The trigger is the potential departure of Adrian Newey, the Austrian formation's master designer. Although the international media has leaked that the Brit is planning to leave Max Verstappen's team, there is no official confirmation (yet).

However, GPblog can reveal that talks about a Newey departure are currently going on behind the scenes, the outcome of which is still uncertain. It is easy to imagine that the first thing being discussed is the terms of his departure. After all, the chief technical officer has an ongoing contract until the end of 2025 at Red Bull Racing. Red Bull are likely keen to see the 65-year-old at least serve out this commitment.

Newey not joining a rival team until 2027?

On the other hand, Newey will realise that the longer he stays in post at Red Bull, the longer he will have to wait for a fresh start at another team. After all, it is common in Formula 1 to go on so-called gardening leave between jobs. If Newey closes the door on Red Bull only after the 2025 season, he will not be able to start work with a new boss until 2027. At that point, Newey will already be 68 years old.

The immediate reason for Newey's departure at Red Bull is said to be the fractured relationship between him and team boss Christian Horner. Horner is still under a lot of pressure, following persistent allegations of inappropriate behaviour. In reality, Newey has been toying with the thought of leaving Red Bull for some time. The Horner case may just have proved to be the proverbial final straw.

No doubt more details about Newey's departure will come out in the coming days. The Briton is currently still planning to travel to Miami for the Grand Prix there. For sure, Newey can expect the necessary questions from journalists. Just as curious is what Max Verstappen thinks of it all: is Newey's departure a reason for the Dutchman to switch to another team himself?