Adrian Newey hints at his future plans

16/05/2024 13:41

In a marketing video for Oyster Yachts, the F1 designer opened up about his future

Throughout the Miami Grand Prix, the individual whose future plans were discussed most was not a current driver, nor a potential driver who may join the grid next season.

Rather, the name on everyone's lips was that of Adrian Newey.

The legendary engineer and designer shocked the Formula 1 world with the announcement that he would be stepping away from Red Bull in early 2025. That news sparked speculation regarding where Newey would land next, or if he would step away from F1 entirely.

Now, in a video for Oyster Yachts released on YouTube, Newey addresses his future for the first time.

And it certainly looks as if he will be back in F1 before we know it.

"I've wanted to work in motor racing as a designer since I was the age of eight or ten and I've been lucky enough to fulfil that ambition to have got that first job and been in motor racing ever since," said Newey to his manager Eddie Jordan in the video. "So every day has just been a bonus really, I just love what I do. So at some point I guess I'll have a bit of a holiday and as Forrest Gump said at the end of his long run, I feel a little bit tired at the moment, but at some point I'll probably go again."

Newey also revealed in the video that he spoke with IndyCar owner Roger Penske and former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who are 87 and 93 respectively, who inspired him to carry on working. The legendary F1 designer also shared memories of his father, who suffered a series of brain hemorrhages after his own retirement.

Those discussions, along with the memories of his father, have certainly left an impact.

"It's slightly emotional to say it, but [my father] kind of lost his way a bit in his retirement," said Newey. "I thought he'd be very happy continuing to tinker around on cars and stuff and he just lost his mojo a bit.

"[So] kind of a combination of that and then two of the people that I respect the most, Bernie and Roger Penske, I asked them both 'what's your secret?' because they've kept going and going and for their age they're phenomenally mentally agile and physically agile. And they both said that old thing that the brain's like a muscle, it needs exercise and so you need to keep doing that."

Newey also outlined how the rhythm of motorsport, and the near-constant feedback the stopwatch provides, is something he will miss.

"The great thing about motor racing – it can be very painful – but every two weeks or so, well every flipping week now the way the calendar's gone, you know how you're doing," continued Newey. "So that feedback, I think, is what vitalises the whole thing. I guess that's what I've got used to over the years and I know I'd miss it if I wasn't doing it."

As for where Newey might land, his comments offer little insight. But as mentioned above his name was on the lips of almost every team in the paddock ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, and some of Red Bull's former drivers chimed in on just what it meant working with a legend. In addition, there are multiple reports that Aston Martin has made a significant offer to Newey, reports that Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack dismissed recently.

So while we do not know where Newey might land next, it certainly seems that the legend will be back in F1 at some point next season.