Adrian Newey explains the main reason behind stunning Red Bull departure

Adrian Newey on the phone.

Adrian Newey feels the time is right to “seek new challenges for myself”, after confirming his shock exit from Red Bull on Wednesday.

Speculation had been rife that the team’s chief technology officer was about to leave the reigning World Champions, and the announcement came that he will be doing so ‘in the first quarter of 2025’.

Adrian Newey to ‘hand baton over’ at Red Bull and ‘seek new challenges’

Having joined the team in 2006, Newey has been at the forefront of all of Red Bull’s World Championship-winning cars, though he has been subject to approaches from multiple teams over the years looking to acquire his services.

Ferrari have been known admirers for decades, Newey himself confirming they have made at least three approaches at different times for Formula 1 and IndyCar over time, and they are reportedly interested again in his services for 2025, while Aston Martin also reportedly offered him a move to their team at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March, which team principal Mike Krack denied.

But having spent almost two decades with the same team, Newey has said he feels the time is right for others to step up within Red Bull, and pursue other opportunities for himself.

He will spend the remainder of his time with the team working on the RB17 road car project which he has spawned from its inception, stepping back from Formula 1 design duties to do so.

“Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars,” Newey said upon the announcement of his departure.

“My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. 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.

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“However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.

“In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there. I would like to thank the many amazing people I have worked with at Red Bull in our journey over the last 18 years for their talent, dedication and hard work.

“It has been a real privilege, and I am confident that the engineering team are well prepared for the work going into the final evolution of the car under the four-year period of this regulation set.

“On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian, who has not only been my business partner but also a friend of our respective families. Also, thanks to Oliver Mintzlaff for his stewardship and Eddie Jordan, my close friend and manager.”