A shocking news hit the Red Bull team ahead of this year’s Miami GP. The celebrated car designer and aerodynamic expert Adrian Newey cut ties with the Austrian outfit. After many rumors and speculation, the Briton gave up his seat as Chief Technical Officer and will leave the squad in the second quarter of 2025. Moreover, he was signed by Aston Martin as a technical head and stakeholder.
While the move shocked the entire paddock, the seeds of this destruction were sown in 2022. Helmut Marko has explained every event that led to Newey’s exit. While many fans point to Christian Horner’s controversial case and the ensuing power struggle as the beginning, the story goes much deeper.
Helmut Marko Explains His Clash With Oliver Mintzlaff And Christian Horner
Following the death of Red Bull’s long-time boss, Dietrich Mateschitz, in October 2022, the future of the company’s Formula 1 team became uncertain. Mateschitz, whose passion brought the energy drink brand into the sport in 2005, left a void that was difficult to fill. Oliver Mintzlaff took over, but his lack of the same passion and a strained relationship with Helmut Marko further complicated matters. Red Bull’s renowned designer, Adrian Newey, was also deeply affected by Mateschitz’s passing and struggled to connect with the new leadership.
Marko acknowledged that Mateschitz was an irreplaceable figure, and his absence triggered significant changes in the team. This shift, along with Newey’s dissatisfaction with the team’s direction, particularly Pierre Wache’s design of the RB20, led to Newey seeking new challenges. The team’s principal, Christian Horner, approved the design despite Newey’s concerns, which added to the internal tension.
Moreover, the fallout from an investigation into Horner’s alleged inappropriate behavior and the resulting internal power struggle only worsened the situation for Newey. According to Marko, these factors combined to make Newey’s decision to leave almost inevitable.
Red Bull’s On And Off-Track Misery Continue To Ruin The World Title Dream
Adrian Newey’s exit was not the only blow to the Bulls. Later, Audi poached Jonathan Wheatley to be the team principal in 2026. The RBR Sporting Director hence ended his stint and signed the deal with a fresh F1 team. Moreover, the race strategist Will Courtenay was recently hired by McLaren in a surprising deal. He was offered a sporting director role, leaving a significant void in the management. To make matters worse, the team struggles to fix the technical woes. Thus, its world title dream appears dull with McLaren and Ferrari rising. However, th upcoming Austin GP upgrade would be the last resort for the energy drink-based setup to regain momentum.
