Design genius Adrian Newey could see potential plans to move to another Formula 1 team thwarted due to reported clauses included in his current Red Bull contract.
Reports have emerged that Newey has communicated his desire to depart Red Bull to bring the curtain down on his successful near two-decade spell with the squad.
The reason behind Newey’s decision has been centred on alleged claims that the Briton, 65, has become disillusioned with the ongoing power struggle within Red Bull.
Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner was exonerated from alleged inappropriate behaviour, but his presence has continued to cast a cloud over the reigning champions.
But according to Autosport, Newei has not made those intentions public to Red Bull Racing’s senior members nor the Austrian brand’s hierarchy about stepping down.
However, it has been speculated that Newey has been contemplating a lucrative proposal from Aston Martin, while Ferrari has long targeted the prized F1 car designer.
Ferrari has undergone an aggressive recruitment drive since Frederic Vasseur was appointed Team Principal in December 2022 to obtain engineers from competitors.
Newey has been on record as stating he has turned down the marque’s advances on several occasions, but this could be an optimal time to fulfil an “emotional regret”.
Ferrari Chairman John Elkann has showcased he is prepared to get the chequebook out in pursuit of success with the acquisition of Lewis Hamilton from next term.
Relocating to Maranello would cause upheaval for Newey, however, which could swing the pendulum in the battle to secure his signature back towards Aston Martin.
Lawrence Stroll has splashed the cash in his bid to turn the Silverstone-based squad into a genuine F1 title contender and arranged a brand-new state-of-the-art base.
The Canadian billionaire has accompanied that impressive headquarters with some top-line recruits – including Dan Fallows from Red Bull, who worked next to Newey.
But Red Bull’s statement in response to the growing reports cited that Newey is contracted through 2025, and Autosport has now learnt that it contains select clauses.
The first of those relates to non-complete options on top that would add a further 12 months to his contractual end date, making him unattainable until at least 2027.
With lead time on development meaning an involvement in the ’27 car would be limited, Newey would not have substantial input on his potential next team until 2028.
At that moment, Newey would be approaching 70 and be contemplating bringing the curtain down on an exceptional F1 career that has comprised 25 championships.
However, it could be a feasible proposition that Newey is persuaded to take up a consultant role like Rory Byrne has done at Ferrari since he stopped full-time activities.
But Newey could be allowed to commence work with a rival competitor earlier than those clauses permit in the circumstance that all parties can reach an arrangement.
Red Bull would need to accept the terms submitted from a suitor for Newey’s services and the Austrian outfit would be unwilling to agree to that without a sizeable fee.
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