Adrian Newey saw one big Fred Vasseur problem coming in talks over Ferrari move last year

Follow us on Google Discover

Adrian Newey had several admirers when he announced his exit from Red Bull last season. Ferrari were heavily linked with bringing the engineer on board.

The Maranello outfit seemed to be the frontrunners to land his signature. Newey would have given the team an incredible line-up with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, which would have spurred them in good stead to fight for the title in 2026 under the new F1 regulations.

However, it was not the Italians who secured a deal. Newey signed with Aston Martin on a five-year contract, with Lawrence Stroll attracting him to his project at Silverstone to help build them to the front of the grid.

The legendary engineer, who is earning £30 million a year at Aston Martin, will lead their operation in 2026, with Honda as the team’s engine supplier. Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will be desperately hoping he can build a competitive car, having regressed over the past two seasons.

‘A lot of people’ questioned Newey’s age when he first joined Aston Martin, but his track record in F1 speaks for itself. His expertise and success with new regulations give the Silverstone outfit all the tools they need to succeed, something Ferrari could do with amid their troubles in 2025.

Adrian Newey saw Fred Vasseur’s problems coming as he turned down Ferrari due to ‘too much pressure’

Ferrari are still suffering after Newey turned them down, as they struggle to find performance in 2025. The team have three podiums thus far, having had the fourth-fastest car on balance for most of the season.

Newey’s experience could have gone a long way in improving Ferrari’s fortunes. In a report from FUnoAnalisiTecnica, the 66-year-old did find the prospect of joining the team ‘fascinating’, but there was a ‘quite simple’ reason for turning the offer down.

‘The team did not want to give him the command of the sporting management’, with Ferrari being known for wanting to do things their own way. Furthermore, Newey found there to be ‘too much pressure’ in Maranello.

To work at Ferrari is to represent an entire nation, with the pressure from the Tifosi and the Italian media being intense if the team fails to perform. This is what Vasseur is currently facing, as the Frenchman’s future at the team is being called into question.

Newey sensed the problem that Vasseur would face in 2025. The Brit favoured a long-term project at Aston Martin over a high-pressure situation of trying to get Ferrari their first title since 2008.

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin managing technical partner Adrian Newey

Fred Vasseur desperately needs to find results as Ferrari woes continue

Vasseur is far from safe at Ferrari as his contract expires at the end of the season. While Ferrari scoffed at speculation surrounding his future at the Canadian GP, there has been no communication as to whether he will stay with the team beyond 2025.

Vasseur reportedly has three races to convince John Elkann that he deserves to keep his job. The Ferrari chief is allegedly dissatisfied with the team’s performance as they already look out of contention for both championships.

‘Everyone’ in the F1 paddock thinks Vasseur is safe despite the rumours. Leclerc says the boss is doing a great job, while the Frenchman was a key reason why Hamilton made the switch from Mercedes.

Vasseur admits he puts a lot of pressure on himself as he is ‘always’ looking to win. At the moment, that is what he is not delivering and he will need to find those results fast if he wants to stay in Maranello.