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Earlier this week, Red Bull announced that Newey would leave the Milton Keynes-based team after a tenure spanning nearly two decades, playing a significant role in designing the cars that propelled Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen to multiple world championships .
But amid the internal political tensions that divided Red Bull earlier this year, Newey felt the time was right to leave the team.
While continuing to work on his RB17 hypercar, he will retire from F1 and be free to join other teams from March 2025.
That would still give Newey some time to make a difference for the 2026 regulation change, but in the face of strong interest from Ferrari, the 65-year-old said he currently has “no plans” to join a rival team because he first needed some time off. from the Serie.
“Formula 1 is very demanding and I’ve been working on it for a long time now,” Newey told Sky Sports F1.
“2021 has been a very busy year due to the close battle with Mercedes throughout the championship, and at the same time investing all the research and development into the RB18 which is the father of this generation of cars.
“I don’t know, there comes a time when I feel, like Forrest Gump said, ‘I feel a little tired’.”
When asked how long he had been thinking about his decision, he replied: “It’s been a while now, if I’m honest.
Adrian Newey, Chief Technology Officer, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“I guess a little bit over the winter and then as things unfolded this year, I thought…I’m in a very fortunate position where I don’t have to work to live.
“I work because I love it and I feel like it’s a good time to step back, take a little break and take stock of life.
“Mandy, my wife and the dogs, we’ll probably go on a trip. Take a campervan or something and travel around France and just enjoy life.
“So maybe at some point, I don’t know when, I’ll be in the shower and say, right, this will be the next adventure. As of now, there are no plans .”
Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari from Mercedes in 2025, said Newey would be at the top of the list of people he would want to work with in F1.
“Honestly, it’s very nice of Lewis to say that and I’m very flattered,” Newey responded when Hamilton’s comments were put to him.
“But for now, it’s just time to take a little break and see what happens next.”
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