Adrian Newey's departure from Red Bull is reportedly imminent, with an official announcement potentially coming ahead of next weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
Rumors of Newey’s discontent swirled after reports surfaced in German media outlet Auto Motor und Sport, indicating his unhappiness with the working environment at Red Bull Racing.
According to Motorsport.com, Newey has formally resigned from his role as Red Bull’s chief technology officer, with the remaining focus being on the terms of his exit.
While details remain unclear, Newey is anticipated to remain at Milton Keynes for the foreseeable future, with a definitive departure set for no later than the beginning of 2025.
An internal letter penned by Newey reportedly sheds light on the reasons behind his decision, with a fractured relationship with team principal Christian Horner being a major factor.
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Inner team tensions arose as a result of the power struggle that occurred earlier this year between Horner and Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko in the wake of allegations made against Horner by a female employee of Red Bull.
But Newey is said to have also been personally irked by an interview published at the end of last year in which Horner claimed that the designer role had changed and that "the technical team under him, led by Pierre Wache, is doing a wonderful job so they are not dependent on Adrian."
This was apparently perceived by Newey as an attempt by Horner to minimize his contribution to the team’s success.
©RedBull
Needless to say, as one of Formula 1’s greatest creative brains, Newey is likely contemplating a healthy series of options involving rival F1 teams.
Ferrari has emerged as a serious contender, with Newey reportedly "seriously considering" a lavishly paid consultancy role with the House of Maranello, a team he very nearly joined on two separate occasions in the past.
Aston Martin, fueled by Lawrence Stroll's ambition to transform the Silverstone-based outfit into a dominant force, is another potential destination.
Their significant financial backing and Honda works partnership could be appealing to Newey. Additionally, their UK location might be more attractive than Ferrari's Italian base.
However, whispers suggest Newey isn't fully convinced by Stroll's plan to potentially build up the team while leveraging the engineer’s expertise before selling it for profit.
As for Mercedes and McLaren, neither team appears to have an edge over its rivals to lure the 65-year-old designer.
Finally, with no financials worries on the horizon, Newey might simply feel tempted to sail off into the sunset on his recently commissioned yacht and enjoy life in the slow lane.
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