Ferrari dropped Newey chase to avoid bidding war with Aston Martin

Ferrari's decision to abandon its pursuit of legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey was allegedly justified by its reluctance to engage in a costly bidding war with Aston Martin.

Newey’s move to the Silverstone-based outfit is expected to be made public in the coming days, or before next week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

But for months, it was believed that Ferrari was the Briton’s destination of choice to continue his life in F1 after his nearly two-decade tenure with Red Bull.

Following the announcement last June of Newey’s departure from Milton Keynes in the first quarter of 2025, the designer became a coveted asset for almost every single other team in F1, but especially Ferrari, who have been persistently chasing their first championship since 2007.

Furthermore, Newey himself has repeatedly expressed "emotional regret" over never passing through the golden gates of Maranello despite engaging in talks with the Italian outfit on multiple occasions over the years.

According to Motorsport.com, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur had secured the necessary funding to bring Newey onboard as a consultant, with plans for him to operate from the UK rather than relocating to Maranello.

• Read also: Newey to Aston Martin announcement reportedly imminent

This arrangement would have mirrored a previous setup with designer British engineer John Barnard who, in the late 1980s, managed Ferrari’s technical operations from an office in Guildford, England.

However, as negotiations intensified, Aston Martin emerged as a serious contender for Newey’s signature, offering a substantial contract believed to be worth $100 million over four years.

Aston Martin's aggressive approach, spearheaded directly by team owner Lawrence Stroll and driven by the Canadian billionaire’s ambitions to elevate his team to the top of the field, included significant investments in its technical leadership.

This included the appointment of former Mercedes engine head Andy Cowell as Group CEO and the recruitment of Enrico Cardile, Ferrari’s former chassis technical director.

Faced with Aston Martin’s formidable offer, Ferrari reportedly chose not to escalate the bidding war.

The Scuderia decided that engaging in an auction for Newey’s services could detract from their broader strategic goals, leading them to refocus on enhancing their existing technical structure.

A key element of this restructuring is the arrival of Loïc Serra from Mercedes, who is expected to replace Cardile and bring fresh expertise to Ferrari’s design and engineering departments.

By opting out of the bidding war, Ferrari avoids a potentially costly and distracting process, which could have significant financial and organizational implications.

Ferrari’s decision reflects its confidence in its ability to develop a competitive car through internal resources rather than relying on external high-profile hires.

It also underscores the strategic challenge of balancing immediate gains with long-term stability in the highly competitive world of Formula 1.

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