Aston Martin F1 has reportedly tabled a staggering £100 million offer for Adrian Newey’s highly coveted services, a hefty sum, spread over four years, that dwarfs what Ferrari has proposed.
Since the announcement last May that Newey would be leaving Red Bull in March 2025, three teams have emerged as potential suitors of the legendary designer’s genius: Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren.
Until recently, Ferrari appeared to hold the upper hand against its rivals, with Newey allegedly open to fulfilling a super consultant role with the Italian outfit that would not require a permanent presence at Maranello.
However, according to a recent report from Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Newey’s financial demands and a request to bring 20 Red Bull engineers with him, have led to Ferrari taking a step back from the talks.
Cue Aston Martin and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll who, after giving Newey an introductory royal tour last month of his team’s state-of-the-art new headquarters and factory at Silverstone, has apparently upped the ante.
According to German website F1-Insider, Aston's offer for F1's most successful designer in its history now stands at an eye-watering £100 million (approximately $130 million) for four years.
It's a deal that Newey - whose interests are managed by friend and former team owner Eddie Jordan – might not be able to refuse, especially as a collaboration with Aston Martin would not require a relocation.
But Newey, ever the pragmatist, remains unfazed by the frenzy. Speaking to The Times recently, the 65-yeard old engineer expressed once again his need for a break and a period of reflection before making any commitments.
“It wasn’t a big surprise when other teams showed an interest after I announced I was leaving, but I won’t make a quick decision about my future,” commented Newey.
“I need a break to work out if I want to have another go in F1. I also didn’t want to risk going stale.
“There are some drivers, like Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who I would have loved to work with, but so far it has not been the right place or time in terms of us coming together.”
Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll.
As the F1 community buzzes with speculation, Newey has made it clear that his immediate focus is on spending quality time with his family and enjoying some well-deserved downtime.
“I don’t know what my future holds, but instead of dashing around the world to grand prix races this summer, I’ll be able to see my family.
“In June, Mandy and I took our two Bernard doodles, Yogi and Benji, on a drive along the south coast for a week, which was great fun.”
The massive offer from Aston Martin underscores the high stakes and intense competition in Formula 1, as teams vie for the expertise that can potentially shift the balance of power.
As Newey ponders his next move, the motorsport world waits with bated breath to see where one of its most influential figures will land.
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