Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner was insistent that the team’s success was “about the collective” prior to the news that Adrian Newey is considering leaving.
According to rumours, Newey is contemplating departing his role as Red Bull’s Chiee Technical Officer having become unsettled since a probe into Horner’s conduct.
The Briton, 65, has been associated with the Austrian outfit for almost two decades and designed the cars that have seized six Drivers and seven Constructors’ titles.
That has included the clean sweep Red Bull has achieved since F1 reverted to ground effect cars in 2022, with last season’s RB19 challenger winning all but one race.
However, Red Bull’s seamless success could be disrupted with the sport’s most decorated designer leaving and potentially heading elsewhere to an alternative squad.
But with Newey having stepped back to focus on other ventures before, Horner has explained how Red Bull had evolved its ranks to prevent reliance on one individual.
“We’ve always had evolution in our team, nothing stays still,” he told the media last weekend in China. “Nothing stays still forever, but we’ve had tremendous continuity.
“Paul Monaghan collected the trophy [in China] and has been with us for 19 years.
“We’ve always enjoyed great stability but, at the same time, have continued to develop great talent within the team.
“If you think of engineers like Rocky [Guillaume Rocquelin], who won all those championships with Sebastian [Vettel] – he still works with the team.
“He’s on a different project but he’s still within our company. Simon Rennie still works for the team.
“There are many engineers and designers. We have always had tremendous stability but, of course, it’s not just about one or two individuals, it’s about the collective.”
Newey’s egress would amp up the onus on Technical Director Pierre Wache, Head of Aerodynamics Enrico Balbo, and Chief Engineers Monaghan and Ben Waterhouse.
The ex-Williams and McLaren design guru has been linked with a move to Ferrari, while it was speculated last month that Aston Martin had made a lucrative proposal.
Speaking at the Japanese Grand Prix earlier this month, Horner had stressed that Newey’s continued success in F1 would make connection with rival teams inevitable.
“Adrian is an important part and long-term part of our team,” Horner said. “He’s enmeshed within the team. There’s always going to be interest in him, for sure.”
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