Why Adrian Newey’s former colleague expects him to reject Aston Martin move

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Adrian Newey’s Formula 1 future is not yet settled. The legendary designer is due to formally leave Red Bull in the early part of next year, having handed in his resignation.

Initially, Newey looked set to join Ferrari. Many were excited at the prospect of one of the sport’s greatest engineers working for its most iconic team.

But a ‘dramatic’ turnaround saw the move collapse. Newey to Ferrari looked ‘done’ before Fred Vasseur intervened.

Team principal Vasseur was unhappy with the amount of control he’d be giving away. Newey would have brought up to 20 engineers with him to Maranello, according to BBC F1 pundit Marc Priestley.

The breakdown in negotiations opened the door for rivals. And a report in Italy subsequently claimed that Newey had chosen to join Aston Martin.

However, that has yet to be widely corroborated. Newey himself has ‘gone into hiding’ as he considers his future with his wife Amanda and manager Eddie Jordan.

Jo Ramirez still expects Adrian Newey to join Ferrari

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Jo Ramirez suggested there was still hope for Ferrari. Ramirez worked as a team coordinator at McLaren during Newey’s stint with the iconic British team.

Newey asked Ferrari to double his earnings, and his prospective Aston Martin wage apparently beats 15 Formula 1 driver salaries. But Ramirez insists he isn’t financially motivated.

Instead, he’ll be drawn to the ‘prestige’ of Ferrari, and any reservations about leaving the UK can be overcome. As a consultant, he can work remotely and still spend much of his time in his homeland.

The question is whether talks with Vasseur and John Elkann can be revived at this stage. But the unpredictability of the Newey saga to date suggests almost nothing can be ruled out.

“I don’t think Newey will retire,” Ramirez said. “I see him at Ferrari because it is the most prestigious team in F1 and if you have the opportunity to work for Ferrari you shouldn’t let it slip away.

“It’s not a question of money, because Newey already has more than he could spend in his entire life. The difficulty could be going to live in Italy, because he is happy in Great Britain.

“But today the rules have changed, you can work remotely and two or three days a week he would have his own private plane that would take him back and forth.”

Adrian Newey considering offer from F1 team who have ‘promised him the moon’

Ferrari aren’t the only team who could still pose a threat to Aston Martin. Alpine have made an offer to Newey as well.

On the face of it, he has little reason to consider their approach. Newey has already rejected Williams because there’s ‘too much work’ to do, and Alpine are only one spot above in the championship.

What’s more, the team are in a state of upheaval. They’re set to abandon their engine operation and become a customer team, potentially the prelude to a sale.

But Newey is considering the Alpine offer because Renault CEO Luca de Meo has ‘promised him the moon’. It’s the kind of coup that could revive De Meo’s enthusiasm for the project and change his long-term plans.