Formula 1 News: Losing Newey not a problem at all

Max Verstappen told reporters assembled for this weekend’s Miami GP that the loss of Adrian Newey is not something he is worried about whatsoever.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Red Bull Racing Team Boss Christian Horner, recognizing that Newey was approaching retirement age, beefed up the design staff (it’s called contingency planning) so when Newey eventually departed, the team could continue to demoralize the opposition.

Verstappen said Newey had been “incredibly important” for Red Bull’s success over the years but emphasized that “his role has changed a bit and a lot of people don’t understand what he was actually doing – I don’t say he wasn’t doing anything but his role has evolved”.

NOT WORRIED WHATSOEVER!! Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

He added: “Of course I would have preferred him to stay, for sure, because you can always rely on his experience and just as a person he is a great guy to chat to and relate to.

“He is very bright and smart, but he would also talk to the driver and interpret that into the car, in terms he would try to imagine himself driving.

“But I also really trust that the technical team we have outside of Adrian is really strong. They have shown that for the last few years how competitive the car is.

“From the outside it looks very dramatic, but if you know what is happening inside the team it is not as dramatic as it seems.”

Asked whether losing Newey would have an impact on his future, Verstappen said: “Not at the moment.”

He acknowledged that the developments at Red Bull this year were “a bit unexpected”, but added: “It is always very important to remain calm and focused on your job, know who you’re working with, feel comfortable.

“At the end of the day, we need to have the fastest car. That’s what I always demanded, that’s what we finally got for a couple of years now. And we have a very strong technical team that are part of the team for a long time. It goes on like it was going before.”

In essence, it is exactly as we wrote in this article: Formula 1 News: Wache, not Newey, the brains behind Red Bull