Reports have emerged indicating that Adrian Newey may be departing from his role at Red Bull, with an official announcement anticipated in the near future, SportsMole reports.
According to Luigi Perna of La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari chief Frederic Vasseur was reported to have traveled to London instead of accompanying the team to Miami earlier this week.
The purpose of this trip is speculated to be related to potential discussions with Adrian Newey, a key figure in Red Bull’s design team, regarding a possible transition.
These negotiations, previously undisclosed, are believed to revolve around Newey seeking an early exit from his contract, which was initially set to extend until 2025, in order to avoid an extended period of inactivity often referred to as ‘gardening leave’.
Sources familiar with the matter have indicated that both parties have likely reached a settlement, laying the groundwork for an impending announcement, expected to be made within the coming days.
It is speculated that Red Bull might strategically delay the announcement until after May 2nd, possibly to avoid overshadowing the commemoration of Ayrton Senna’s death anniversary from 1994.
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, seems resigned to the prospect of Newey not joining the team, expressing during a promotional event in New York that “A lot of people are speculating about what he will ultimately do.”
He further stated, “I look at it as a fan and watch what happens.”
Meanwhile, Red Bull has remained notably reticent on the matter, with a team spokesperson informing Italy’s Autosprint that there is “no comment to make at this time.”
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Newey’s potential departure, there are also indications that Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s reigning world champion driver, and his management team may be considering engaging with Mercedes executives post-Miami to explore the possibility of a switch.
Jan Lammers, a Dutch GP executive, addressed this speculation, noting, “There are contracts that he and Red Bull must adhere to.”
He further emphasised, “In principle, he is under contract until 2028, and I see no reason yet why he would want to have it terminated early.”
In response to these claims, Wolff dismissed them as mere rumors, asserting, “People make up stories about what goes on behind the scenes with drivers, but these things should stay behind closed doors.”
Main Image: Door Morio – Eigen werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16954058
Click here to check out EU TODAY’S SPORTS PAGE!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
