F1 journalist names ‘appealing’ new team in the race to sign Adrian Newey

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On Wednesday, Red Bull confirmed what looked increasingly inevitable – Adrian Newey will leave the team in 2025. Now, everybody is asking what he’ll do next.

First things first, Newey must confirm his intention to remain in Formula 1. His friend and manager Eddie Jordan suspects he’s ‘more likely’ to pursue other interests rather than quickly joining a new team.

But reports elsewhere suggest Ferrari are in a strong position to secure his signature. After making three unsuccessful approaches in the past, they could finally get their man.

Newey apparently held talks with team principal Fred Vasseur in London earlier this week. And he’s ‘seriously considering’ the switch to Maranello.

Inevitably, Ferrari aren’t the only team in the picture. Aston Martin are also determined to sign the legendary designer and could try to tempt him with an offer of more than £400k per week.

But insiders at the team nonetheless expect him to move to Italy instead. The allure of the Prancing Horse may be too strong.

Elsewhere, a return to McLaren is apparently an option after a successful stint with the team between 1997 and 2005. But Newey is unlikely to join Mercedes amid concerns over the team’s current trajectory and the prospect of working with Toto Wolff.

Journalist names possible new contender in Adrian Newey battle

Writing on the official Formula 1 website, journalist Lawrence Barretto named a new team who could mount a push for Newey. While a second stint at McLaren or even Williams could be tempting, he’s ‘more likely’ to join a new team.

And that’s where Audi come in. The timings could align nicely because Newey’s first full season would be 2026, when the German manufacturer will officially join the grid after acquiring Sauber.

Newey could therefore have significant input into the concept for Audi’s first car. They want to ‘make a splash’ when they enter the field, and signing an engineer of this calibre would be one way to do just that.

Sauber are struggling in 2024, having failed to score a single point in the first four races. But they’ve got the ‘budget and the commitment to succeed’, and Newey may see the idea of joining a brand new project as ‘appealing’.

Audi target Carlos Sainz after signing Nico Hulkenberg

Audi’s ambition is already evident in their driver search. They’ve officially signed Nico Hulkenberg from Haas on a multi-year deal and they’re now going after an F1 A-lister in Carlos Sainz.

Sainz is surely the leading free agent on the market after Ferrari released him to make room for Lewis Hamilton. He’s won three Grands Prix in his career, most recently in Australia in March, and has stood on the podium 21 times.

The problem for now is that he’s somewhat hesitant to join. With a seat available at Mercedes and a potential vacancy popping up at Red Bull, he’s yet to accept Audi’s offer.

They initially put pressure on him to make a quick decision, but they’ve now changed tack. CEO Andreas Seidl and his colleagues will be patient.

Hiring Newey could be enough to sway the Spaniard. Red Bull finished seventh in his first season with the team in 2006, but within four years they were winning championships.

Audi want to be similarly rapid in their ascent, targeting titles by 2031. With Newey on board, that suddenly seems much more realistic.