Red Bull’s Formula One dominance is waning, and to add insult to injury, one of its top car designers is departing for a rival.
Adrian Newey (above), Red Bull’s chief technology officer, is finalizing a deal to join Aston Martin next year, according to The Athletic. The 65-year-old has been with Red Bull since 2006 and has nearly four decades of experience in F1. He’s played a part in 13 constructors’ championships and a dozen drivers’ titles, including Max Verstappen’s last three with Red Bull.
Newey first announced in May that he would leave Red Bull by the spring of 2025, and received interest from Ferrari, Williams, and McLaren, before choosing Aston Martin. The official announcement of Newey’s decision could come before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the next race on the calendar, on Sept. 15.
While drivers often get the spotlight in motorsport, car designers can be just as valuable, if not more, in ensuring that a car can compete at the front of the grid. And Newey is widely considered one of the best in the sport’s history.
“Adrian is clearly the most talented and gifted individual in Formula One based on his track record and history,” Aston Martin’s owner Lance Stroll told Bloomberg.
Given the team already has a proven driver in two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, who consistently finished on the podium for Aston Martin last year, the team needs a better car. Aston Martin has taken a step back this season, sitting at P5 with a large gap between them and Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes.
Stroll, whose son, Lance, is the second driver on the team, also lured away top brass from other teams including former Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell, who steered the Silver Arrows to the drivers’ and constructors’ championships from 2014–2020.
Bearish on Red Bull
After Sunday’s race in Italy, Ferrari’s Charles LeClerc was joined on the podium by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz finished in P4.
That podium is a far cry from 2022, 2023, and even early in 2024, when Red Bull seemed poised to cruise to a third consecutive constructors’ championship. But with eight races left in the 2024 calendar, Red Bull is only ahead by eight points over McLaren, and 39 points over Ferrari—and there are warning signs that things aren’t going to get any better for Red Bull.
“All in all a pretty bad race,” Verstappen said after Monza. “[The engine issue] is really bad at the moment and, before Baku, we have a lot of work to do to basically change the whole car.”
While Red Bull and Verstappen could still recover and hold on to their lead, the drop-off is another step in a turbulent season for the team—which started with an investigation against team principal Christian Horner after accusations of “inappropriate” behavior by a female employee. The team’s second driver, Sergio Pérez, has also faced criticism, including rumors of being replaced during the season, due to his on-track struggles.
However, for racing fans, parity, at least at the top of the grid, should maintain interest in the product as the season winds down. That would also be a win for ESPN, F1’s media-rights holder, especially with the United States and Las Vegas Grand Prix coming up.
