F1 News: Newey spotted in Italy to poach key Ferrari staff – Rumor (2nd Update)

Turns out Adrian Newey was in Italy at the invitation of KR Motorsports to drive some cars at Mugello, not interview with Ferrari

Amid swirling rumors surrounding the Red Bull power struggle, the sighting of F1’s most revered designer at Bologna airport – just an hour from Maranello – set tongues wagging.

But according to Italy’s Formula Passion, the 65-year-old was not in town to meet for talks with Ferrari.

Instead, he “treated himself to a day on the track at Mugello”, the report revealed.

Mugello is owned by Ferrari, but Newey was there in Red Bull Racing team overalls for a track day with KR Motorsports – where he got behind the wheel of various performance and GT cars.

Red Bull’s chief technical officer is now expected to be in Shanghai for the Chinese GP.

“My top three for the sprint is Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz,” former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde predicted on the DRS De Race Show podcast.

“I think Leclerc is quite eager to prove himself and show what he can do and the circuit may suit him well, so yes, I expect to see him in P2.”

As we previously reported – do NOT believe any of the fake rumors surrounding Red Bull. The bias F1 media are working overtime to try and take down Red Bull because Max Verstappen keeps on schooling their beloved Lewis Hamilton.

(GMM) Adrian Newey, arguably the most highly coveted designer in Formula 1 history, has been spotted in Italy.

Amid the ongoing Red Bull power struggle, Newey – as well as Dr Helmut Marko and even Max Verstappen – have all been linked with the exit door.

Recently, just as it was rumored 65-year-old Newey had fallen out with Christian Horner, Newey’s wife Amanda ‘liked’ a social media post about her husband regretting ever working for Ferrari.

“Now’s your chance to tick off those regrets, Adrian,” the post that Mrs Newey ‘liked’ read.

Contractually, Newey is committed to Red Bull through 2026 – but the recent team turmoil may have changed the situation.

Indeed, it has been reported that Aston Martin recently made Newey an ‘astronomical’ offer, to which Marko responded mere days ago: “I don’t think it was the first offer he’s received, and I don’t think it will be the last.”

Journalist Michael Schmidt now reports in Auto Motor und Sport: “Losing Adrian Newey would be just as great as losing Max Verstappen.

“And there is nothing he hates more than internal politics. Ever since things started going wrong at Red Bull, the competition has tasted blood.”

Newey has admitted that he had firm offers from Ferrari in the past, but he always turned them down because it would have meant uprooting his family to Italy.

“But at the end of his career, it would be the crowning achievement,” Schmidt explains. “And it seems that this time he is serious.

“Newey was recently spotted at the airport in Bologna.” The city is just a one-hour drive from Ferrari’s headquarters.

If Ferrari really does secure Newey, having already signed Lewis Hamilton for 2025 and beyond, F1 legend Gerhard Berger thinks a new Michael Schumacher-like era at Maranello could soon begin.

“With Hamilton instead of Michael,” the Austrian is quoted as saying.

Adrian Newey in Italy to poach top Ferrari Design Staff

Adrian Newey was spotted at the Bologna Airport recently, and the fake rumors started that he was there to interview with Ferrari.

However, other sources say Newey was there to interview key Ferrari F1 design staff rather than looking to sign with Ferrari.

Pierre Wache is the lead design engineer at Red Bull. Adrian Newey is longer in that role, instead serving as a sounding board for ideas or issues that may arise.

At the age of 65, Newey is more than happy to step back from a 60 hour a week grind and hire away Ferrari’s top talent to work alongside Wache.

On more than one occasion recently, Newey has expressed how happy he is at Red Bull.

Reports last month claimed Newey received a lucrative offer from Lawrence Stroll to join Aston Martin, but that was quickly denied by Mike Krack.

The fake rumors made up by the British F1 media are an attempt to bring Red Bull down because Max Verstappen continues to give their beloved Lewis Hamilton a schooling at every GP.