Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing from Britain, can be seen observing Oliver Bearman, the Reserve Driver of Ferrari SF-24, on the starting grid. This moment was captured during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah on March 9, 2024, as part of the Formula 1 World Championship, Round 2.
Reports from the Italian media suggest that Ferrari is close to hiring Adrian Newey, a legendary designer in Formula 1, as soon as he leaves Red Bull in early 2025. Last week, rumors began circulating that Newey had decided to end his nearly two-decade association with Red Bull, and the team has confirmed his departure since then.
Newey, who holds the record for the most championships won by a designer in F1 with 25 titles, will still make occasional appearances at races throughout the remainder of this season. However, most of his remaining time with Red Bull will be dedicated to the RB17 Hypercar, which will be unveiled at the Goodwood venue in two months.
Although Newey’s current contract with Red Bull extends until 2025, it has been revealed that there is a non-compete clause in effect, including an additional 12 months of paid leave. However, it seems that Newey’s legal team has managed to reduce this period, allowing him to start working with a new team in preparation for the next regulatory change in 2026.
While it is believed that Aston Martin has made a lucrative offer to Newey, it is speculated that his most likely destination will be a move to Ferrari. In the past, Ferrari tried to secure Newey’s services on two separate occasions, but their approaches were rejected. Now, the Italian team is once again trying to secure his highly sought-after signature.
According to the Italian publication Formu1a.uno, Ferrari is currently the only team on the grid that Newey is considering, and he would be in a position of “super consultant.” Additionally, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Ferrari team principal, Frederic Vassuer, met with Newey in London this week to discuss the terms of a possible agreement. Both sources suggest that an agreement between the two parties is imminent, with only the final step of Newey signing a contract with Ferrari remaining, which is expected to be an exciting prospect.
