F1 Rumor: Adrian Newey Offered Staggering Contract by Red Bull Rival – Set to Decide Next Week

Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s chief technical officer, has been reportedly offered a lucrative contract by rival team Mercedes. The decision, expected by next week, could greatly impact the F1 championship landscape.

Newey, who is known for his revolutionary contributions to aerodynamics in Formula 1 cars, has been offered a staggering contract that includes company shares, according to a report from Sportskeeda.

From Mercedes’ perspective, securing Newey could be a game-changer in their quest to dominate Formula 1, reminiscent of their winning streak that lasted until 2022. Newey’s profound impact on his teams is well-documented, with his designs significantly elevating car performance and competitive edge. Considering Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff has been vocal about intensifying efforts to boost their car performance, Newey’s expertise could be the missing piece to their puzzle.

The timing of this offer is critical as Newey approaches the end of his tenure with Red Bull, with his departure set for the end of the first quarter of 2025. Mercedes, grappling with subpar performances from their current car, the W15, seems to be in urgent need of Newey’s aerodynamic ingenuity. Wolff, reflecting on the ongoing challenges, shared his insights after the Monaco Grand Prix, emphasizing the team’s commitment to continuous improvement. He commented, as quoted by Autosport:

“Shov [Andrew Shovlin] is great with metaphors, and what we are doing now is probably solving that. I don’t think that the duvet is large enough to cover feet and head at this stage, but we’re getting there.

“[The next race] in Montreal is a little bit of an outlier of a track, but we’re going to add something there, and we’re going to add something for Barcelona – to just try to chip away, bearing in mind there could be also setbacks.”

Looking ahead, the F1 community eagerly anticipates Newey’s decision, expected to be announced next week.

Since confirming his exit from Red Bull, Newey has remained coy about what his next move might be, and if there will be one. The 65-year old explained to former F1 driver and current Sky Sports F1 reporter Martin Brundle that he will be taking some time to travel with his wife but the 2026 regulations might entice him back to the F1 paddock. He commented to Brundle during the Miami Grand Prix weekend:

“F1 is all consuming. I’ve been at it for a long time now.

“2021 was a really busy year because of the tight battle with Mercedes, through the championship and at the same time, putting all the research into the RB18 [the 2022 car].

“There comes a point where I just felt, as Forrest Gump said, ‘I’m feeling a little bit tired’.”

He continued:

“I think Mandy my wife and the dogs will go travelling and get a motorhome or something, go down through France and just enjoy life,” said Newey.

“Then maybe at some point I will stand in the shower and say ‘right, this is going to be the next adventure’.

“But right now, there is no plan.”

Finally, Newey concluded:

“I do enjoy regulation changes for sure. I’d say this current crop of regulations was the biggest regulation change we’ve had since 1983, when flat-bottomed cars came in.

“I really enjoyed the challenge of all the research and all the detailed designs of that car. These two subsequent cars [after the 2022 car] are evolutions of that car and next year’s car will be the third evolution.

“It’s been a great series. One that surprised me just how much there is in these cars. When I first looked at these regulations, I wasn’t so sure. It’s been fun.”