F1 design king Adrian Newey to leave Red Bull in 2025 after 19 years, team confirm in statement
- Newey cars have won 25 drivers’ and constructors’ championships for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull
- Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO, says ‘he leaves as a true legend’
Formula One’s most sought-after designer, Adrian Newey, will leave Red Bull in 2025, after 19 years at the F1 team, Red Bull said in a statement on Wednesday.
Horner was cleared in February of alleged misconduct towards a female employee, who has lodged an appeal against the outcome.
“For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team,” Newey said in a statement.
“However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.”
The news is likely to spark a bidding war between Ferrari – who will soon be joined by Lewis Hamilton – and Aston Martin for Newey’s services, while also cast doubt on the future of leading racer Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
Throughout the 1990s, Newey was at Williams, where Nigel Mansell (1992), Alain Prost (1993) and Damon Hill (1996) swept to championship wins.
He moved to McLaren in 1997 and immediately Mika Hakkinen won the drivers’ title in back-to-back years. His time at Red Bull coincided with dominant periods for Sebastian Vettel (2010-2013) and Verstappen (2021-present).
His six years at Williams saw four constructors’ titles, following that up with one at McLaren and a further six at Red Bull. In total, Newey cars have won 25 drivers’ and constructors’ championships.
“All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller,” Horner said. “His vision and brilliance have helped us to 13 titles in 20 seasons.
“For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 championships later, he leaves as a true legend.”
Red Bull are finishing their partnership with Honda at the end of next season and making their own engine with backing from Ford when the sport starts a new power unit era in 2026.
The team have been going through turmoil since before the start of the season, with Horner in the spotlight and having issues with Verstappen’s father Jos and Red Bull motorsport consultant Helmut Marko.
Formula One veteran Marko and the Verstappens are close, with Max linking his future at the team to the Austrian remaining.
Newey is regarded as equally vital to Red Bull’s success as Verstappen, even if the Briton is not a one-man band and has a team of highly-rated designers and aerodynamicists working with him.
