Christian Horner has likened Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull Racing to Cristiano Ronaldo’s monumental exit from Manchester United in 2009. Newey, Red Bull’s long-serving and legendary chief technical officer, is set to leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit after 19 groundbreaking years to join Aston Martin as a managing technical partner. This move marks the end of an era for Red Bull, but Horner remains confident in the team’s ability to maintain its dominance.
Horner’s comparison to Ronaldo’s departure from Manchester United highlights the critical role Newey has played in Red Bull’s success. Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of football’s greatest players, helped Manchester United secure major titles like the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League before his transfer to Real Madrid. Despite losing their star, Manchester United continued to win the Premier League twice more, showing resilience and strength beyond one player.
Horner believes that Red Bull, much like Manchester United, can sustain its winning momentum even without Newey. He acknowledged the magnitude of Newey’s contributions but emphasized that Red Bull has built a strong, cohesive team capable of continuing its success on the track.
“We’ll look back with great fondness on the time that Adrian was with us, but life carries on, and we’ve got a great team,” Horner explained. “Adrian came very close to leaving in 2014, and from that moment onwards, we knew we had to be prepared for the day he chose to depart.”
Horner revealed that Red Bull nearly lost Newey in 2014 when he received enticing offers from rival teams. To keep their aero-genius, Red Bull crafted a special role allowing Newey to work on diverse engineering projects beyond Formula 1, including the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the RB17 hypercar. This arrangement convinced Newey to stay longer, but it also highlighted the importance of preparing for his eventual exit.
Newey’s departure to Aston Martin marks a new chapter in his career, one where he will have greater leadership and responsibility. The 65-year-old engineer will take charge at Aston Martin, with the entire team set to report directly to him. This opportunity for increased autonomy and ownership played a significant role in Newey’s decision to leave Red Bull.
“Obviously, he’s been involved in other projects during that period with [the Aston Martin] Valkyrie and now the RB17 [hypercar],” Horner explained. “When he chose to go to Aston, it was because of the increased responsibility and the skin in the game with a shareholding. From what I understand, the whole structure is essentially going to report to him.”
Newey’s exit signifies a monumental shift in Formula 1, as one of the sport’s most brilliant minds moves to a new challenge. His legacy at Red Bull will be remembered as transformative, and Horner’s confidence that the team can remain successful reflects the depth of talent that Red Bull has cultivated over the years.
While Aston Martin now gains one of F1’s greatest technical leaders, Red Bull will look to prove that, like Manchester United post-Ronaldo, their success can continue beyond one extraordinary individual.
