Lawrence Stroll has now replaced Aston Martin figure who once called security on Adrian Newey

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Aston Martin are reportedly battling McLaren for the signature of Adrian Newey ahead of his departure from Red Bull. Ferrari have long been a contender but they appear to be dropping out of the race.

Red Bull confirmed in May that their chief technical officer would be leaving in the early part of 2025. He’s contributed to seven drivers’ titles and six constructors’ championships during his time at Milton Keynes.

Ferrari had held talks with Newey and made him an offer, but they’re reluctant to become involved in a bidding war. As it stands, Aston and McLaren look like the two teams actively pursuing him.

The Englishman has previously had a stint at McLaren, designing title-winning cars for Mika Hakkinen in the late 1990s. Some believe the ‘saga’ around his future could end in a ‘surprise’ comeback.

But there are others who feel that Aston have the advantage. Team owner Lawrence Stroll has reportedly offered Newey £407k a week.

He’s also been on a tour of their new factory at Silverstone, which indicates that he’s giving the move serious consideration. Stroll dismissed all of his employees in the hope of keeping the visit a secret.

Adrian Newey had ‘stormy’ fallout with ex-Aston Martin CEO Martin Whitmarsh

One potential barrier to Newey joining Aston was the presence of Martin Whitmarsh. According to Motorsport Italy, Newey doesn’t ‘particularly like’ the 66-year-old after his tumultuous departure from McLaren in 2005.

Whitmarsh apparently ordered security to escort him from the premises in a ‘stormy’ exit. This was a public spectacle with his colleagues in the technical department still at their stations.

Newey would join Red Bull ahead of their 2006 F1 debut, while Whitmarsh remained at McLaren until 2014. He then returned to the sport to become CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies in 2021.

However, the team recently announced that he’d be stepping down, with former Mercedes engine chief Andy Cowell replacing him. Some have seen this as a move that paves the way for Newey’s arrival, given that he may not have been able to work alongside Whitmarsh.

What Newey was spotted doing at Silverstone ahead of Red Bull exit

Cowell isn’t the only significant hire Aston have made recently. They’ve also announced the arrival of Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile.

This may have helped them in their pursuit of Newey, inadvertently or otherwise. Ferrari’s priority is now to find somebody who can head up their technical department on a day-to-day basis, something Newey simply doesn’t want to do at this stage of his career.

While he would prefer to operate in a part-time consultancy role, it’s clear that his passion for F1 remains. Ted Kravitz spotted Newey sketching features on multiple cars, including the Red Bull, in his notebook at Silverstone.

With Cowell in place to head up Aston’s transition to Honda power units, Stroll will now look to form a mighty partnership between Cardile and Newey on the chassis side. He will see this as the backroom team he needs to deliver a race-winning, championship-contending car.