The Formula 1 paddock was recently stirred by reports suggesting Aston Martin had extended a significant offer to Adrian Newey, Red Bull Racing’s legendary CTO and the man behind twelve World Constructors’ and thirteen World Drivers’ Championships.
According to Autosport’s Roberto Chinchero, team owner Lawrence Stroll had approached Newey with a lucrative proposal during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Such a move was interpreted as part of Stroll’s ambitious strategy to elevate Aston Martin to the forefront of Formula 1 competition.
The speculation suggested more than just an attempt to bolster Aston Martin’s technical capabilities. It hinted at a broader strategy, potentially affecting Fernando Alonso’s decision to stay with the team and possibly enticing Max Verstappen from Red Bull if he were considering a move. And this doesn’t come as a surprise. The Silverstone team has seemingly been emulating the Milton Keynes squad, with their AMR machinery taking on a number of design cues from the RB19 and RB20. I assume this is from the mind of Dan Fallows, the previous head of dynamics at Red Bull, now technical director of Aston Martin.
During the Suzuka Grand Prix weekend, when confronted by Sky Sports F1 with inquiries about the rumored offer, Krack’s reply was brief: “No.”
His confidence lies with the squad’s current technical talent.
“We have a very strong technical team with Dan [Fallows, technical director], with Tom [McCollough, performance director], with Luca [Furbatto, engineering director],” he said during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast, as quoted by Autosport.
“We’ve been joined lately by Bob Bell. So we are quite happy with what we have at the moment.”
Adding to the narrative, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko has commented on Newey’s high demand in the sport, as quoted by F1i.
“Newey is a designer that is highly demanded,” said the consultant. “He is the one that everybody wants to have. I don’t think it was the first offer and I don’t think it will be the last offer that he got…
“To lose Newey is always a big disadvantage, because then it means that another team would get him. In such a case he would take knowledge, but also unbelievable experience with him.
“He is like a cult figure so it’s very important for young engineers as well. They come into the team because they want to work with Newey. Overall, it’s a big gain to have Adrian.”
Adrian Newey’s future with Red Bull has long been a topic of speculation, with recent rumors about Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025 reigniting discussions about Newey’s career trajectory. Despite this, Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, has assured that Newey remains fully engaged and motivated in Red Bull’s championship efforts.
After all, Ferrari has tried numerous times to nab the CTO, but Newey has maintained his desire to live in England alongside his family. But Aston Martin is based in England, unlike the Scuderia…
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