The biggest mystery of the 2024 season has now been revealed: Adrian Newey will join Aston Martin. After months of speculation, the team made the formal announcement during a ceremony at their facility. Newey, recognized for his remarkable aerodynamic skills, will join Aston Martin following his gardening leave with Red Bull, which is scheduled for the first quarter of next year. Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin’s CEO, also announced that Newey will become Technical Managing Partner and own stakes in the team, strengthening his position within the squad.
After almost two decades, the British engineer is set to depart from Red Bull and join a new team. Newey had grown frustrated with the management at Red Bull, which had unsettled him since internal conflicts arose within the Milton Keynes-based team. As a result, the experienced car designer chose to end his time at Red Bull. However, plenty of other teams were eyeing to sign the Aero Wizard. Mercedes has recently revealed why it never pursued Newey for a technical role.
Adrian Newey Was Never In Mercedes Plan As Wolff Believes In “Internal Training”
When Adran Newey decided to leave Red Bull, everyone was keen to know his new home. He is among the most experienced and talented car designers. Thus, his ability to propel any F1 outfit to success is unmatched. As a result, many teams wanted him to sign him as a technical head. From Mercedes to Ferrari, everyone was in the race to strike a deal with Newey. However, Toto Wolff has recently revealed why Newey was not on Mercedes’s plans. Per MotorSport-Total, Wolff admitted to having a conversation with James Allison about Newey.
However, the conversation concluded that they should not go for the British engineer. Instead, they were more interested in improving and trusting the pre-existing structure. The Austrian executive said the team has faith in its structure and mechanism. Thus, they were not ready to revamp the technical plan for a new entry. Moreover, Wolff explained the reason for not pursuing Adrian Newey as he said, “Because we believe in our internal training.” On the other hand, Newey wants complete decision-making powers. Thus, a pre-existing structure would have been a problem for smooth management.
This Is Why Newey Chose Aston Martin Over Ferrari
In addition to money and prestige, Lawrence Stroll’s bold vision attracted Adrian Newey to Aston Martin. The team is determined to join Formula 1’s elite, prompting Stroll to invest substantially in upgrading the factory and overall operations.
Another key factor in Newey’s decision was the desire for control. He passed on Ferrari’s offer, as the Italian team was unwilling to grant him the level of decision-making authority he sought. Despite being prepared to offer a huge salary, Ferrari wasn’t ready to give Newey full control. Ultimately, this led the aerodynamic genius to sign with Aston Martin.