F1 team boss sent his staff home to keep Adrian Newey factory visit a secret

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Adrian Newey attended the British Grand Prix last weekend as he edges closer to his departure from Red Bull. Newey officially handed in his resignation at the start of May.

He’s bringing an 18-year stint with the world champions to an end in the early part of 2025. In that time, he’s designed seven title-winning cars for Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Sky Sports F1 presenter Ted Kravitz thought it telling that Newey was sketching multiple cars in his notebook. He’s trying to take what he can from Red Bull and their rivals ahead of potentially joining a new team.

Christian Horner has had to block Newey from certain meetings to maintain a degree of secrecy. But his suitors value far more than his recent experience.

The 65-year-old is one of the most legendary engineering figures in F1 history, having won 25 championships across three different decades. Before joining Red Bull, he achieved success at Williams and McLaren.

Guenther Steiner thought Williams were bringing Newey back only a few weeks ago. But now the picture has shifted.

One former Ferrari employee hinted that they could sign Newey after the departure of technical director Enrico Cardile. He only needs to negotiate the ‘final details’ of his contract with the Scuderia.

Lawrence Stroll tried to conceal Adrian Newey visit to Aston Martin

Another of the major players in the race for Newey is Aston Martin. According to Auto Motor und Sport, Lawrence Stroll invited him for a tour of the factory at the start of June.

Stroll wanted to keep the visit a secret. To that end, he abruptly told staff to leave their workplace ‘at short notice’ to avoid any leaks.

• READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Unfortunately for the Canadian, the news trickled out from somewhere and made ‘big headlines’. Newey would be the crowning glory of Aston’s recent recruitment drive.

Stroll has already signed Cardile and former Mercedes engine guru Andy Cowell. He wants to turn his team, valued at £1.1bn by Forbes, into a championship contender in the coming years.

Lewis Hamilton sent Newey warning amid Ferrari struggles

Aston will race with Honda power units come 2026 when F1 enters a new era of regulations. As it stands, that’s an exclusive partnership.

What’s more, they’ve tied down two-time world champion Fernando Alonso to a new contract. But Stroll may see Newey as the final piece he needs.

On the other hand, Ferrari might be even more desperate to sign him after their recent woes. Since Charles Leclerc won the Monaco Grand Prix in late May, they’ve scored just 49 points in four rounds, including a Sprint weekend in Austria.

Indeed, Sam Bird has warned Lewis Hamilton that Ferrari must land Newey. The racing driver says the success of his sensational switch to Maranello could depend on it.