Adrian Newey has reached an agreement with Red Bull to release him early from his contract. The highly decorated F1 engineer confirmed his intention to embark on new challenges. Meanwhile, Christian Horner did not want to obstruct the next phase of his career. Newey will be free to go to work for others at the end of the first quarter of 2025. In the meantime, he will carry out gardening leave – disguised as a consultant to finish and sign his RB17 Hypercar.
NEWEY IN FERRARI: THE ROLE OF SUPER CONSULTANT ALLOWS FOR IMPORTANT TECHNICAL STABILITY
This early termination shows that, despite some rumours, his retirement should be ruled out. Ferrari are really close to the 66-year-old super engineer, even though the contract proposed by Maranelli has not yet been signed. Red Bull could have hindered Newey’s exit a little longer, but there wasn’t enough will to do this. This was despite the sub-optimal internal climate in Milton Keynes.
Newey is too important for Red Bull’s history to incentivise the team to make his departure nightmarish. This is not to say there were not important discussions behind the scenes. However, it would have been a very bad look if Adrian Newey – so instrumental in their success – was not allowed to exit gracefully.
At Maranello, Newey would not take an entirely new role, given that Rory Byrne has been an advisor to the technical office in recent years. Obviously, this role has become more targeted and specific over time under, but the South African has always had an important voice. Ferrari now wants to continue even more rigorously to sign Adrian Newey.
NEWEY IN FERRARI: A DISGUISED GARDENING LEAVE ALLOWS HIM TO WORK IMMEDIATELY ON THE 678 PROJECT
Everyone is wondering about the details of Newey’s gardening leave. Currently, we know that F1’s new 2026 aerodynamic rules are not 100% defined. However, they will be in the summer. The deadline requested by the teams was the end of June.
It is possible for this date to be amended slightly, but not substantially. There isn’t much leeway, as teams will start working on the new cars from next January. They will increase their resources on these new regulations from early spring – devoting the beginning of next season to finalising the 2025 cars.
With Newey leaving Red Bull at the end of 2025’s first quarter, things are well-timed for Newey to make an impact in 2026. Not to mention that gardening leave is easily circumvented in relation, for example, to reading and understanding the new regulations.
Newey can enter Maranello on the first day with immediate advice in the various technical macro areas for the team’s 2026 Red single-seater. This will be in time for important and often decisive interpretations of the technical regulations.
Furthermore, integrating Adrian Newey into the technical staff could be relatively simple. At least compared to, for example, signing a traditional technical director like Pierre Wache. Initially, the Frenchman was always the first target for Binotto and Vasseur.
Newey will not have to reform or rebuild a department and will not oust any current Senior figures. Ferrari’s current technical director, Enrico Cardile, and his staff are working well – especially since Vasseur reorganised the group. Instead of kick-starting a reshuffle, Newey would bring his best ideas and winning knowledge.
Going to Maranello and helping Ferrari win a world championship is a difficult challenge for anyone. However, it is this kind of challenge the 65-year-old often rises to. The situation is not too dissimilar to the one that saw Ferrari sign Lewis Hamilton. Fred Vasseur capitalised on a small window of opportunity, with the 7-time Champion’s desire to join Ferrari being decisive. This willingness could also be essential for Newey.
His arrival can offer something to Maranello’s designers, with authority and without major contraindications, what has probably been missing in the team’s medium and long-term technical direction. With Binotto’s farewell, it is as if Ferrari had changed gear.
All steps necessary have been taken to avoid further months of stalemate. There was always a risk that negotiations could be drawn. John Elkann, with one of his trusted men in Frédéric Vasseur, took over the Scuderia to try and “make some noise.” It seems that, once again, he is succeeding.
