Red Bull boss Adrian Newey may feel haunted by comments he made last year after admitting that leaving the Austrian team would be tantamount to “abandoning his family”. Newey is said to have told his current employers that he needed to move on and has been approached by his wife Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari.
Newey joined Red Bull from McLaren in 2006 and discovered the magic formula to produce winning cars for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. He is widely regarded as one of the most productive F1 car designers in the history of the sport and played a major role in engineering his team’s unstoppable RB20.
On Thursday, the BBC reported that Newey had unsettled Red Bull following a painter’s allegations of sexual harassment and coercive and abusive behaviour against Christian Horner, which the team principal denies. And Newey believes he can negotiate an exit that will allow him to move to a rival next season.
The 65-year-old had revealed in the past that Ferrari had approached him on several occasions and recently Aston Martin also made an offer for him.
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And in December, Newey advised that racing for Red Bull was a personal thing, telling the Formula For Success podcast: “I’ve enjoyed immensely the groups I’ve worked for and of course Red Bull because it’s a team I’ve been in. for more or less from the beginning.
“It’s a team where I’ve played a pivotal role in developing the engineering side of the team, so it’s a team I’m comfortable with. We all know how we work. I guess to replace now, I’m not saying I never will, because you never say that; However, it would be like abandoning your family, because that’s what they’ve become.
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And on the appeal of the Scuderia, Newey added: “Ferrari is this magical logo that, in all honesty, probably everyone in motorsport is fascinated and tempted to sign if given the chance.
“I’ve been contacted – and I’ve been close – 3 times. One of them in IndyCars a long time ago. It’s an amazing brand. There’s all this mystique in it. In fact, it is the Italian national team, with all the benefits and disadvantages that come with it.
“The problem is that if you don’t do a wonderful job, you’re bound to be reprimanded and torn apart. Of course, if you do a smart job, then you’re a national hero. So that brings with it all its own pressures. But I have to do it. “Try to remove the hobby aspect and technique it from an engineering perspective.
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