Helmut Marko issues Adrian Newey reminder as rivals hope for huge domino effect

Helmut Marko has reminded Red Bull’s Formula 1 rivals that, if they were hoping for a “domino effect” after the departure of Adrian Newey, that he has already not been working on a full-time basis for Red Bull for some time.

Newey’s role as chief technology officer saw him work 150 days per year as per his contract with Red Bull, with the highly-decorated designer set to depart the team in the first quarter of 2025 having already taken a step back from his design duties.

Helmut Marko: Red Bull ‘well-positioned’ for Adrian Newey departure

Newey himself said that he has not yet decided what he will be doing with his future. Ferrari, Aston Martin and Williams are all believed to be interested in his services – while he has not chosen yet whether or not to continue in Formula 1 after almost four decades at the top of motorsport.

Newey has claimed 13 of the 25 World Championships with cars under his leadership with Red Bull, following previous success with Williams and McLaren, but spoke in Miami of feeling “tired” due to the increased demands of the sport in the modern age.

But for any rivals looking at getting their hopes up now that Red Bull’s design figurehead is due to depart in early 2025, motorsport advisor Marko said there is a deeper well of talent ready to step up – and explained that Newey’s involvement had not been “day-to-day” recently anyway, though admitted he will be a “painful” loss.

“A big topic in the paddock in Miami was Adrian Newey’s announcement that he was withdrawing from Red Bull Racing’s Formula 1 project,” Marko wrote in a column for Speedweek.

“I have already said that he is an outstanding designer personality who has somehow lost his fire.

More on Adrian Newey’s upcoming Red Bull departure

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“I’m personally very sorry about this, but we have a very broad and well-positioned technical team over the years, with experienced people like Pierre Waché and younger people like Enrico Balbo or Ben Waterhouse.

“We are well-positioned in all areas and I see it as wishful thinking on the part of the competition that there will be a domino effect.

“So far, there are no signs of this happening.

“Of course, the 2026 rule change will be a particular challenge for us and everyone else, and losing someone like Newey is always painful.

“But you also have to remember that he was no longer with the company on a day-to-day basis. He was more the one who oversaw the whole thing.

“The fact is that he is withdrawing and we have to live with that.”

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