Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache is ‘sure’ about the biggest thing he will miss about Adrian Newey following the Formula 1 design guru’s decision to leave in 2025.
The team from Milton Keynes announced before the Miami Grand Prix that Newey will leave Red Bull in early 2025. He has been at the team ever since February 2006 and has designed each of their six constructors’ championship and seven drivers’ championship-winning cars.
Newey will step aside from Red Bull’s Formula 1 team ahead of him departing at the start of next year. But his time in the pinnacle of motorsport is not over as the 65-year-old is keen to join another team. Newey has also attracted interest from teams up and down the paddock.
Pierre Wache will ‘for sure’ miss Adrian Newey’s experience at Red Bull
Reports by Auto Motor und Sport note Mercedes are making cautious approaches to Newey but trail interest from Ferrari. The Scuderia have already reached an advanced stage in their negotiations with the design guru. Williams boss James Vowles has also spoken with Newey.
Having a chance to sign Newey excites several teams as he is the most successful designer in Formula 1’s history. As well as creating several championship-winning cars at Red Bull, he won five teams’ and four drivers’ titles for Williams plus one and two of each with McLaren.
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Newey won his first titles with Williams back in the 1992 season and also based his thesis at the University of Southampton on ground-effect cars. So, Wache says Newey’s experience is the main thing he will miss the most when the Stratford-upon-Avon native leaves Red Bull.
“His experience, for sure,” Wache stated during the team principals press conference at the Emilia Romagna GP on Friday. “Clearly, he doesn’t give away anything. He has the mentality of a racer. That is very, very nice to discuss with him on that aspect.”
Adrian Newey’s experience helped Red Bull to ace F1’s 2022 regulations
Newey’s knowledge of ground-effect cars after his studies at the University of Southampton was a crucial factor in Red Bull getting Formula 1’s 2022 regulation changes so right. No rival team could understand the venturi effect as well as Newey and Red Bull reaped the rewards.
READ MORE: Everything we know so far about Formula 1’s engine and chassis regulations
He personally designed the front and rear suspension for the RB18, which won 17 of the 22 Grand Prix that season. Newey knew Red Bull needed to combine the aerodynamic surfaces with the car’s mechanical characteristics for a stable vehicle and not suffer from porpoising.
Now, teams throughout the paddock want Newey to join and help design their cars for F1’s 2026 regulation changes. He would not have a huge influence on the packages that hit the grid in 2026 by joining in early 2025. But his experience that Wache will miss might be key.
The post ‘Very nice to discuss’: Wache ‘sure’ of main thing he’ll miss from Newey leaving Red Bull appeared first on F1 Oversteer.