Reports emerged on Thursday afternoon that legendary Formula 1 designer Adrian Newey would be leaving Red Bull Racing after two decades with the team. German media outlet Auto Motor und Sport reported the news, citing resources within the team. Motorsport. com followed A while later, he said he had shown the way out to “situationally aware resources. “
If true, it represents a great deal of upheaval at the highest levels of the race organization. Newey is considered one of the members of the set, if not the designer, of F1’s fashion era, and his departure may have serious repercussions for the team’s quest for more global championships.
Newey has been under contract with Red Bull Racing lately, but it’s unclear when that contract will expire or if it will include buyout clauses. Max Verstappen’s contract, for example, would come with a buyout clause should Helmut Marko leave the organization. With all his decades of F1 experience, it’s entirely possible that Newey has a deal, just in case.
There has been a lot of speculation about Newey in recent months, basically due to the controversy surrounding the team, its parent company and its director Christian Horner. In January, Horner was the subject of an internal investigation into alleged misconduct against a colleague. The investigation was eventually dismissed. Things didn’t stop there, as alleged evidence of Horner’s misconduct was shared with media around the world after the firing.
According to Motorsport. com, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll has made Newey a significant offer for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but it is unclear if this has anything to do with his alleged departure.
Neither Newey nor Red Bull have commented on the matter.
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