Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, hailed Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull as “probably a smart thing to do” for F1, and said his departure could create more festivity at the front.
Newey’s surprise departure from Red Bull was shown on Wednesday morning in the UK, with the design legend officially departing in the spring of next year, where he can sign up for another team without delay if he wishes.
The departure of Newey, who designed victorious cars for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen over nearly two decades at Red Bull, is a blow to the reigning F1 constructors’ champions.
Button, who dismissed the risk of Vettel’s Red Bull winning its only name 15 years ago, said it was a “shame” that non-public reasons motivated Newey’s decision.
But amid rumors that the 65-year-old has secured contract offers from Aston Martin and Ferrari, the former Honda and McLaren driver believes Newey’s departure could reinvigorate the sport.
Follow PlanetF1. com’s WhatsApp channel for all the latest F1 news!
Ranking: Adrian Newey’s 10 Most Successful Formula 1 Car Models
Appearing on the Sky F1 podcast, he said: “He’s the most productive designer in the world. Their brains work better than most of us. “
“I haven’t worked with Adrian Newey in Formula 1 yet. I’ve had to race their cars for many years and you see the smaller main points they go through with their cars and we’re amazed.
“Even in my year where I won the championship with Brawn, we still saw the progression of the Red Bull and what Adrian Newey was able to do in such a short time.
“Obviously, he doesn’t do it alone, it takes a wonderful team behind the big guys, but over the decades he’s been amazed at how he’s aware and still able to expand amazing F1 cars.
“If he’s not happy, it’s a shame because Red Bull is in a very smart position in terms of functionality at the moment.
“But for the sport, it’s probably a smart thing to do if we look at it and give another team a chance.
“The challenge is that it takes years to expand a car, it’s not overnight, and I don’t think he’ll be allowed to work with the team for a couple of years either.
“I read somewhere that in 2027 he’d be allowed to leave and he’d have a gardening license until then, so he won’t help a team until 2029, I guess, that’s a long way to go.
“But it clearly hurts Red Bull and it also hurts the team environment a little bit, knowing that the team principal who develops this glorious car that they have year in and year out is not satisfied and needs to go, if that’s the case. It’s the truth.
“It’s a wonderful story, the biggest story Formula 1 has noticed in a long time.
Button went on to recall his pleasure driving Newey’s vintage Jaguar at the Goodwood Revival event, admitting he was inspired by the F1 design guru’s attention to detail.
He explained: “I was lucky enough to drive his Jaguar E-Type at the Goodwood Revival a few years ago.
“They’re vintage cars, they’re not F1 cars, again, the smaller main points he analysed [were incredible].
“He came in with books about the car and everything he had modified and all the drawings he had made of the car.
“He knew every single detail and the car was exceptional. It was two-and-a-half seconds faster than any other car. And it’s an old car, we were very limited in what we could do.
“So it just shows you that whatever he does, he’s going to do it in the most productive way and that he’s not just there to enjoy himself. “
Read next: Exclusive update: Andretti’s talks with F1 since an abrupt rejection letter was issued