Newey's departure from Red Bull Racing confirmed

Designer Adrian Newey will ‘take a step back’ from his F1 duties at Red Bull Racing in lieu of his departure from the Milton Keynes team next year.

The man lauded as one of the greatest F1 engineers of all time has spent the last 19 years at Tilbrook, penning record-breaking cars which have won seven world championships in the hands of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Controversy within the team this season though, including allegations levelled at team principal Christian Horner regarding his conduct towards a female co-worker, have left Red Bull on unstable grounds, with rumours surfacing several weeks ago about Newey’s future.

This morning (Wednesday), his departure was confirmed by the team. Newey will take a step away from his trackside duties, only attending specific races and concentrating on the final stages of Red Bull’s first hypercar - the RB17 - before departing in the first quarter of 2025.

The 65-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to rivals Ferrari and Aston Martin ahead of the 2026 season, having previously stated he would love to design cars for Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

“For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team,” Newey explained. “However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.

“In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there.”

Horner 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.”