Adrian Newey to Ferrari? Is it possible?

[Forester1965]

He's on a reported £10m a year. You don't pay that to make your design team feel warm and fuzzy. You do it because you need him and you need your competitors not to have him.

[Megaflow]

suffolk009 said:

Puddenchucker said:

What are the chances of Horner being booted out of / paid-off to leave RB and Newey staying put?

I'm guessing immesurably close to zero.

Same. Horner seems to have the Thai majority shareholder wrapped around his little finger.

It will be interesting to see if that changes if Newey walks.

[isaldiri]

Still hoping Newey goes to Aston so Alonso is able to have a final crack at a 3rd championship that his ability has long deserved.

[Megaflow]

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

I don’t think one disagrees that RBR doesn’t have a lot of talented people, but what Newey appears to do better than anyone is get the concept and architecture bang on and then let the team build around that base.

So it could have a big impact.

ETA: Another theory. Newer has seen the dyno figures and RBR Powertrains have built a complete pup and he wants out before another bad engine robs him of more championships.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 26th April 08:30

[suffolk009]

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

Give it a few years and they'll be jogging round the back competing with their sister team (on a good day).

[suffolk009]

kambites said:

We all know he's something of a genius, but we don't really know how pleasant or easy he is to work with. Maybe the rest of the technical team will want to follow him or maybe they will see it as an opportunity to spread their wings without his overbearing presence at the top of the Redbull technical structure.

Assuming Redbull promote internally rather than buying in someone expensive from elsewhere, I guess there's going to be a fair bit more money floating around for the people who remain in the technical team.

Who else could they buy in?

[Eric Mc]

He’s officially leaving Red Bull now.

Just been reported on Radio 4.

[Derek Smith]

Forester1965 said:

Derek Smith said:

I hope Newey leaves F1 altogether. His cars have frequently been the cause of one driver having a distinct advantage. Fair enough, that's been the norm for many decades, but he's had more than his fair share of the fast ones.

Ah, but did you think the same of Chapman?

The first Chapman F1 WDC was in 1963, even before my time of interest in F1. Then one on '65. 68, 70, 72-73 and 78. He came up with some brilliant innovations in F1: the Chapman strut, opting for monocoque, ground effect, all of which could be, and were, copied by other teams. His cars dominated with ground effect, and Mario Andretti took to the car. He looked awe inspiring. Great designer. Does his record compare to that of Newey?

It's selfish of me to want him out of the sport but, with the racing behind the RBs being some of the best I can remember, I don't feel guilty.

[Fat Thor]

Megaflow said:

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

I don’t think one disagrees that RBR doesn’t have a lot of talented people, but what Newey appears to do better than anyone is get the concept and architecture bang on and then let the team build around that base.

So it could have a big impact.

ETA: Another theory. Newer has seen the dyno figures and RBR Powertrains have built a complete pup and he wants out before another bad engine robs him of more championships.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 26th April 08:30

Interesting about the engine…. Another theory i’could be he enjoys working with Honda and would like to continue?

[Sim75]

I would love to see Newey at Ferrari and Lewis win an 8th title, but complete dominance by them and Lewis / Leclerc is no fun for the sport either.

[Tommo87]

suffolk009 said:

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

Give it a few years and they'll be jogging round the back competing with their sister team (on a good day).

If things pan out like they did back in the Williams days, the key talent in his team will go with him.

[suffolk009]

Tommo87 said:

suffolk009 said:

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

Give it a few years and they'll be jogging round the back competing with their sister team (on a good day).

If things pan out like they did back in the Williams days, the key talent in his team will go with him.

Teams success goes in cycles. What we're witnessing here is the start of Red Bulls downward side of the curve. And I think it may well be steeper and quicker than normal.

[wiliferus]

Interesting to see the BBC headline attribute his leaving RBR to the Horner allegations. If that’s effectively a Newey quote it may well unsettle Horners position at the helm. No matter how much backing he’s got from the Thai segment… “we lost him, because of you…”

[Adrian W]

I wonder how long his non comp is

[Jasandjules]

Forester1965 said:

He's on a reported £10m a year. You don't pay that to make your design team feel warm and fuzzy. You do it because you need him and you need your competitors not to have him.

I read somewhere that the same amount was provided for him to race classic cars......

[WestyCarl]

wiliferus said:

Interesting to see the BBC headline attribute his leaving RBR to the Horner allegations. If that’s effectively a Newey quote it may well unsettle Horners position at the helm. No matter how much backing he’s got from the Thai segment… “we lost him, because of you…”

Can't see it. The only think that will unsettle Honer is poor results (look at Toto having to defend his position and he's a shareholder)

Even if Newey leaves tomorrow RB have this and next years Championship in their pocket.

I'm not particularly a Ferrari fan but Lewis and Newey bringing the championship back to Ferrari (and Lewis's 8th) would be box office and a dream finale to both their careers.

[boyse7en]

wiliferus said:

Interesting to see the BBC headline attribute his leaving RBR to the Horner allegations. If that’s effectively a Newey quote it may well unsettle Horners position at the helm. No matter how much backing he’s got from the Thai segment… “we lost him, because of you…”

To be fair, the BBC article says he has been "unsettled by the situation at Red Bull".
That could mean either he thinks Horner should go/have gone already or that he is concerned that other people within the management structure are trying to lever Horner out and he doesn't like it.

Seems an odd one to resign over, unless he thinks that the machinations in the boardroom are causing harm to the team's future prospects or his ability to make decisions and lead effectively. Any internal issues between the team management don't seem to be affecting current performance.

[vaud]

Adrian W said:

I wonder how long his non comp is

All negotiable, given that his contract was to 2028 (IIRC).

[Megaflow]

Fat Thor said:

Megaflow said:

wiliferus said:

Will also be interesting to see how it affects the performance of the RBR car. The Newey effect is strong, but it would be naive to think RBR hasn’t got some other very talented people who have learnt the Newey way.
Will RBR drop away 2026 onwards or will they be ok?

I don’t think one disagrees that RBR doesn’t have a lot of talented people, but what Newey appears to do better than anyone is get the concept and architecture bang on and then let the team build around that base.

So it could have a big impact.

ETA: Another theory. Newer has seen the dyno figures and RBR Powertrains have built a complete pup and he wants out before another bad engine robs him of more championships.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 26th April 08:30

Interesting about the engine…. Another theory i’could be he enjoys working with Honda and would like to continue?

Another fine theory. Mine was based on the assumption he is going to Ferrari.

[kambites]

Sim75 said:

I would love to see Newey at Ferrari and Lewis win an 8th title, but complete dominance by them and Lewis / Leclerc is no fun for the sport either.

From a neutral's perspective I'd love to see him to go Alpine to sort out their aerodynamic mess and bring them up into contention with the other works teams. Never going to happen though.