F1 Insider questions Adrian Newey's sudden departure from Red Bull just 12 months after contract renewal

F1 journalist Will Buxton questioned the timing of Adrian Newey's sudden exit from the Red Bull F1 team after signing a contract renewal last year.

Newey would leave the Austrian outfit in the first half of the 2025 season, leaving him as a free agent after that for other teams to poach him for his services.

Newey's departure from the Milton-Keynes outfit was reported last week by some reported sources as they claimed that he was discontent due to the internal power struggle within the organization.

Red Bull are currently experiencing another dominant period in the sport, having aced the new ground-effect regulations since the beginning of the 2022 season. On his social media platform X, Buxton was curious about the timeframe for Adrian Newey's departure after signing a new deal in 2023 and said:

"Where does he go next? Ferrari? Aston? America’s Cup? Retirement? And why, after 19 years with Red Bull and in the midst of the utter domination of the sport to which he’s dedicated his life, did he want to leave in the first place, exactly 12 months after signing a new contract?"

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Adrian Newey gives his thanks to the Red Bull family

Adrian Newey thanked the Red Bull shareholders in his exit statement for the team's official website and called team principal Christian Horner 'a friend of both families'.

He said:

"On a personal note, I would also like to thank the shareholders, the late Dietrich Mateschitz, Mark Mateschitz, and Chalerm Yoovidhya for their unwavering support during my time at Red Bull, and Christian, who has not only been my business partner but also a friend of our respective families."

Red Bull team boss Christain Horner too returned the compliment and added:

"For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 Championships later he leaves as a true legend.

"He is also my friend and someone I will be eternally grateful to for everything he brought to our partnership. The legacy he leaves behind will echo through the halls of Milton Keynes and RB17 Track Car will be a fitting testament and legacy to his time with us.”

Many teams, including Ferrari and Aston Martin, have been keen on hiring Adrian Newey in their team since the beginning of the 2024 season with some reports suggesting that even Mercedes are also in the fray to get his signature.