New legal team working on strategy for early exit from Red Bull F1 – report

Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing, is reportedly in negotiations to leave his current contract with the team and join a rival Formula 1 team by 2025, according to the BBC. This decision comes after Newey’s successful tenure at Red Bull, which saw the team win seven driver’s titles and six constructor’s titles. The 65-year-old Briton is said to be unhappy with power struggles within Red Bull following an investigation into Team Principal Christian Horner’s conduct. Several teams, including Aston Martin and Ferrari, have been linked to Newey, with the latter showing renewed interest in him. However, negotiations are underway to circumvent a non-compete clause in Newey’s contract that would allow him to start working for another team sooner. This would enable him to contribute to the design of his future team’s 2026 car, coinciding with the introduction of new technical regulations in the series. While Ferrari seems the most likely destination for Newey, Aston Martin’s proposal may not be favorable to him, and McLaren CEO Zak Brown has ruled out a return to the team. Mercedes has also been considered as an option, especially in their pursuit of Max Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged Newey’s impressive track record but did not provide further details on the matter. Red Bull is expected to make an official announcement about Newey’s departure, at the latest, on Thursday, in respect of the 30th anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s death in Imola, which falls on Wednesday.