Legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey has opened up on his strategy for dealing with the intense speculation surrounding his future in the sport.
The 65-year-old legendary designer, whose career has spanned decades and seen immense success, will depart Red Bull in the first quarter of next year after nearly twenty years with the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
There has been widespread speculation about what Newey will do next, ranging from joining a rival team – with Aston Martin cited as the Briton’s most likely destination – to stepping away from Grand Prix racing altogether.
Newey explained that his method of staying detached from such speculation was shaped early in his career.
“That bit is very easy, because I don’t really read social media or I don’t particularly read magazines – that’s kind of something I stopped doing a long time ago,” he said during an appearance on Red Bull’s Talking Bull podcast.
He recalled a pivotal moment in his early days in F1 that influenced his mindset.
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“Back in my Leyton House days, the first car I did was in 1988 – showing my age, obviously! That was a good little car. Then in ’89 we completely messed it up, so I went from being this new hero in the F1 paddock on the engineering side to the idiot who was a one-hit wonder.”
Newey quickly realized the emotional toll that media coverage could take.
“I thought, well really, you can’t read the press when it’s good and then get upset about it when it’s poor, so at that point I sort of said, ‘Okay, just don’t read the press!’”
“Mandy, my wife, she does follow social media. She keeps me roughly informed of what’s going on, but I’m relatively oblivious to it. I just try to lead my life and not be influenced by it.”
Reflecting on his time with Red Bull, which began in 2006, Newey reminisced about the team's rise from hopefuls to dominant champions.
“When I started, really it was with the aspiration and hope that at some point we could win a race,” he commented.
“We won the race with Sebastian in his Toro Rosso in Monza in 2008, but it felt a slightly funny victory because it was our car, but it wasn’t our team. That first [Red Bull] victory in China in 2009 was quite a landmark.”
Newey highlighted some of the most memorable moments of his Red Bull tenure, including the intense championship battles in 2010 and 2012, as well as Max Verstappen's controversial first title in 2021.
“Then going on to that last race in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and winning the championship against the odds with Sebastian’s drive that weekend, and Ferrari’s mistake on the strategy – that was something I’ll never forget.
“We had many close championships battles, 2012 went down to the last race as well, where Sebastian got spun around at the first corner and had a massive hole in the bodywork and stuff, but we managed to keep going and got that one.
“Then, of course, 2021, which I think will be talked about for many years. I think of all my years in motor racing, that was the most difficult year.”
While Newey remains tight-lipped about his future plans, his legacy as one of the greatest Formula 1 designers of all time is secure.
Over his illustrious career, Newey-designed cars have claimed over 200 Grand Prix victories, along with 12 constructors’ and 13 drivers’ titles!
As he approaches the end of his time at Red Bull, Newey’s ability to shelter himself from the noise allows him to remain focused on what truly matters—continuing to lead and innovate in the sport he loves.
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