McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull comes as no surprise “given everything that’s gone on since the start of the year.”
“Six months ago, I would have been surprised,” said Brown when asked about Newey’s decision to leave the team, which was announced earlier this week.“I think given everything that’s gone on since the start of the year and knowing Adrian pretty well, and he’s a very high-integrity individual, I’m not surprised he’s moving on.”
Red Bull have been the focus of speculation since before the season began, after allegations were made by a staff member regarding team principal Christian Horner. An internal investigation dismissed the claims, but the staff member has brought an appeal against the decision, while being suspended by the team.
While Newey said he chose to leave the team in order to pursue a new challenge, Brown believes the situation at Red Bull was also a factor, and expects others will follow.
“The stuff that’s going on there is a bit destabilising,” said Brown in yesterday’s FIA press conference. “It’s probably the first domino to fall.”
“We’ve seen an increase in CVs coming our way from the team,” Brown added. “I think Adrian is the most successful designer of all time. So in addition to the technical that he brings to the racing team, people want to work for people like Adrian Newey and work alongside him.
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“So I think they will be missing what he brings to the team from a pure technical point of view. And then I think the leadership and the excitement people get from working with him will be missed.”
“As far as McLaren’s concerned, I’m very happy with all the work the men and women at McLaren are doing. I think we’ve started to show since last year, second half of last year, that they know how to put performance on the car.
“So I’ve got all the faith in the world with the team that we have. We’re on a quest to get back to the front, and I think we have the people, the talent, the equipment, the drivers to get there, so we’re going to just stay the course.”
James Vowles, who like Brown runs a team Newey once worked for under different management, said he’d only had “a light conversation” with Newey, “saying it can’t have been an easy decision and fundamentally wanting just to have an additional chat about things.”
However he believes a return to Williams would offer a lot to Newey, who designed championship-winning cars for them in the nineties.
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“From a Williams perspective, obviously, that’s where Adrian really cut his teeth for the first time. And I think we’re a team without politics. It’s a small team that’s trying to make our way back to the front and I think it could fit very perfectly for someone that wants to potentially dig into a challenge like that.
“More than that, what is great about Williams is that it has retained the family feel to it. We’re not driven by an [original equipment manufacturer]. We’re driven by just a group of individuals that want to be there. It’s all about really racing and hopefully some of that plays to his strengths.
“Then, finally, with Adrian, you have someone with his accolades, with his touch. There’s not a team he hasn’t been to – and that includes McLaren, ourselves, Red Bull – where he hasn’t made a significant difference. And I think anyone here would be foolish not to at least open some conversation with him at that stage.”
Aston Martin has also been tipped by some as a potential destination for Newey. Its team principal, Mike Krack, predicted his exit will have an effect on the team, but stressed he is satisfied with their current set-up led by former Red Bull designer Dan Fallows.
“I think the record and the history speaks for itself. If someone like that is leaving a team, it’s always causing say the turmoil that it is creating. I think we speak about nothing else about the last two weeks in the media, which is good, because we speak about Formula 1.
“But then I already confirmed a couple of weeks ago. I think it was a clear answer, but nobody really took it seriously. So we are quite happy with our technical team and we continue with them.”
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DB-C90 (@dbradock)
4th May 2024, 9:15
Whilst the 2026 regulations have yet to be published, I suspect Newey has become quite frustrated by the rules becoming more and more strict and the overall stifling of any real innovation that has become F1.
I still think he’ll walk away completely – there’s really nothing left for him to prove, and the regulations no longer allow for him to exercise his skills properly. Couple that with the demands of an ever increasing calendar and I’m sure he’ll find a new challenge elsewhere that is less demanding and more enjoyable.
Tristan
4th May 2024, 9:45
Don’t you think Newey wouldn’t have come back for Honda if he thought F1 was too stifling? He had basically walked away in the 20teens to work on side projects and boats.
He may have nothing to prove but he clearly still has a strong competitive spirit.
black (@black)
4th May 2024, 10:01
@dbradock People used to moan for months about the 2022 regulations, about how they are going to produce similar looking cars and once they were unveiled, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes could not look more different from each other. And in this ‘tight’ regulatory climate, Newey produced his greatest creation, the most dominant car in the history of F1, that was built under a budget cap and 3 years later, other teams are not even competing with it unless misfortune strikes. So yeah I don’t think the 2026 regulations would drive Newey away, if anything it’s a new challenge for him.
Also, from his statements you can see, he still has passion for what he does. He doesn’t have to work to earn money, he has lots of it, he still works because he loves what he does – and he’s undoubtetly the best. He’s 65 true, he’s not going to work for another 19 years as he did in Red Bull, but 5-7 more years in a more relaxed role does not sound that absurd.
Plus if he can bring Ferrari – of all the teams – back to championship winning days, it is then that he would become a absolute legend. And Vasseur knows that and I think he would make everything possible to convince him, set up a small base next to his house in UK so that he doesn’t have to commute to Maranello often? sure. Give him a senior role so that he wouldn’t have to oversee day to day chores if he doesn’t feel like it? absolutely. Get to work with Leclerc – a fast young driver who would idolize him if he wins a championship – and Hamilton – an F1 legend who has said many times he admires Newey and Newey feels the same? check.
He may walk away in end, sure… but of all the times Ferrari said “next year is our year”, this time it feels they are making everything possible to deliver in 2026 and Newey seems like the centerpiece.
SteveP
4th May 2024, 13:58
Good as it undoubtably is, one thing you cannot say about the RBR is that it was produced under the budget cap
black (@black)
4th May 2024, 15:41
The budget cap issue was for 2022, not 2023.. even though yes, RB19 is an evolution of the 2022 car.
But seriously, they spent what, 145mil instead of 135mil? Big deal… up until 2020 the top 3 teams were spending more than 400mil each, while the midfield ones were not exceeding 150mil, about 1/3 of the top teams’ budget. The fact that Newey designed such a dominant car while having similar budget to all the other teams, is a testament to his talent.
Mr B
4th May 2024, 12:11
Newey’s name is as famous in F1 as some of the greatest world champions. If he’s had enough of the day to day of being part of a team do you think we might see him somewhere else in the hierarchy of F1? Similar to what Ross Brawn did?
It would be a more relaxed and less intense way to stay in F1.
Whether it would offer him enough stimulation I don’t know.
Marcel
4th May 2024, 10:23
I believe mister Brown has a slightly too large mouth for what he achieved so far. He should focus on his own team and stop trying to stir a pot somewhere else. He should go for US president, they do the same. All useless, but trying to show the rest is even more useless.
Very unlikable guy.
Patrick (@paeschli)
4th May 2024, 19:32
I can’t stand him either.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
5th May 2024, 2:26
I am not a big ZB fan, though I am even less a fan of those that criticize comments made in response to probing questions. I get that he could say nothing, but there would still be those that would be critical of that response too.
I get the anti ZB sentiment, but I really don’t understand why the vitriol for what he has said here. If they have received CV’s, if he thinks more domino’s will fall, why shouldn’t he say so. I’d much rather that than a room full of ‘no comment’.
Robert Henning
4th May 2024, 11:36
Zak Brown can only dream that he would ever be as successful as Horner. His team can’t even win a single race with all that money without even an engine deficit and already aero regulated Red Bull compared to McLaren these regulations.
At similar points in time since Horner took over he had won titles with a very good driver in Vettel. Not even elite but very good.
So another day of copium for Zak.
SteveP
4th May 2024, 14:00
I feel that, maybe, there are a couple of coherent sentences in there trying to escape
Bart
4th May 2024, 13:57
Sure, Zak.
Newey was so frustrated by Horner’s antics and the way Red Bul dealt with it that he hopped into his time machine and ordered the construction of a 27 meter boat to spend his gardening leave with a couple of years back.
It all makes sense now /s
Illusive (@illusive)
4th May 2024, 15:08
Zach Brown is what other accuse Christian Horner to be.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
5th May 2024, 5:03
If people really respected Newey they would shut up about all the drama and gossip being the reason he left. Hes probably leaving F1, because of stuff like this. Why would someone whose 65+ want to endure stupidity when they can circumnavigate the globe in a yacht. Maybe he will go to Ferrari for a brief time, but for goodness sake, stop speaking for the dude.