Sky Sports F1’s Bernie Collins has now warned Red Bull of the ‘massive repercussions’ from their chief technical officer Adrian Newey deciding to leave the Formula 1 team.
The 65-year-old has left the team from Milton Keynes spinning after asking to be freed from his contract early. Newey is tied down with Red Bull until the end of the 2025 season and is an instrumental part of their winning machine. He has even been with the team since 2005.
Newey has designed every championship-winning Red Bull since the team took over Jaguar in 2005. Red Bull’s six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships have also taken Newey to 25 world titles in his career. He is the most successful designer in Formula 1 ever.
Bernie Collins fears how Red Bull will adapt to F1’s 2026 regulations without Adrian Newey
But BBC Sport reports that Newey has told Red Bull that he wants to leave. He also believes it is possible to depart Milton Keynes before the end of 2025. Newey hopes to negotiate his premature exit from Red Bull in time to sign with another Formula 1 team from next season.
Newey will attract interest from every other F1 team and is already on the shopping lists for Aston Martin and Ferrari. The design guru has an offer to join Aston Martin with their owner Lawrence Stroll eager to enhance their project. Ferrari are also big admirers of Newey’s skill.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Red Bull Racing from engine to Ford links
Yet improving a rival Formula 1 team is only one consequence of Newey leaving for Red Bull. Sky Sports F1 pundit Collins fears the CTO leaving Milton Keynes could risk jeopardising how Red Bull adapt to Formula 1’s technical and regulation changes set to be introduced in 2026.
“There are a lot of other designers working in the background but this team is built around Adrian,” Collins has told Sky Sports. “He’s grown the team, he’s built the structure, and the bigger power struggle is worrying, as well.
“This would mean that Adrian will not be there for the change in regulations for 2026, and that will have massive repercussions for the performance of this car.
“Red Bull have been [the] standout strongest for aerodynamics the last few years and even previous to that when they weren’t winning.”
Red Bull may struggle to replace Adrian Newey with Pierre Wache
Red Bull will likely try to promote Pierre Wache to become their new chief technical officer if Newey does go. Wache is Newey’s number two in the design department as the Frenchman serves as the team’s technical director. But BBC Sport has previously tipped Wache to leave.
It reported before the 2024 season started in February that the Formula 1 paddock believed Red Bull chief Wache is on his way to Ferrari already. The Scuderia turned to Wache as their pursuit of Newey fell short. Now, Red Bull’s No1 and No2 design gurus may be off to Ferrari.
The post ‘Massive repercussions’: Collins warns where Red Bull will struggle without Newey appeared first on F1 Oversteer.