Adrian Newey has called it quits on his two decade long technical career with Red Bull as he will exit the Milton Keynes premises after the first quarter of 2025 F1 season. That also means that Newey won’t be a part of Red Bull’s ambitious powertrain production project in 2026.
However, regardless of his status with Red Bull Racing, Adrian Newey took a strong stand against FIA over the 2026 regulation release. He backed Red Bull to allege bias towards traditional engine manufacturers on the grid and openly accused FIA of not only pleasing one or two teams but also attracting additional manufacturers.
Adrian Newey Takes Strong Stand Against FIA’s 2026 Engine Regulation Overhaul
In a monumental announcement, FIA released the first list of the new regulations set to be enforced in the 2026 F1 season. The groundbreaking changes revolve around engine powertrain composition, aerodynamics, and overall structure of the car. A large portion of the engine will have an electrical share as F1 aims to become a more sustainable sport. Additionally, DRS has been replaced by a manual override mode. The weight and dimensions of the car will also be reduced to promote overtaking. However, Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey is not happy with the tweaks in engine specs. He openly accused FIA of being biased towards 1-2 primary engine manufacturers. While Adrian Newey didn’t name anyone, it is understood he was targeting Ferrari and Mercedes.
It’s because Alpine, Ferrari, and Mercedes are the only three constructors on the grid that supply engines to their rivals. But with Audi entering the sport in 2026 by taking complete control of Sauber, Adrian Newey accused FIA of not only pleasing 1-2 manufacturers but also attracting additional automakers in the sport. Newey feels that it’s not the right way forward as manufacturers come and go. It’s the team and drivers who make the sport from the ground up. Hence, their interests should be protected. “It is essential that we offer them a good show, and part of that variety is well rewarded,” Adrian Newey said. Notably, a lot of teams are unhappy with the release of these regulations, as some pointers were reportedly neither discussed nor approved with the teams prior to the public announcement. Hence, FIA once again seems to be in trouble.
Two Teams Threaten To Walk Away After Discrepancy In 2026 Regulations
Hours after FIA released 2026 regulations changes, F1 teams have launched a mass protest. As per Dr. Obbs, an engineer and F1 podcaster, each team will send a technical representative to meet with the FIA and discuss some questionable pointers which were not approved by the teams.
Not only that, Dr. Obbs claims that two anonymous teams have threatened to walk away from the 2026 series if their concerns were not resolved. “There are A LOT of angry team members across the grid,” Obbs reported. Overall, it remains to be seen how FIA tackles this new challenge as the majority of teams are against the upcoming overhaul event.
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