Jos Verstappen warns Red Bull ‘in danger of falling apart’ following Adrian Newey exit
The departure of Adrian Newey from Red Bull has been confirmed, the team's chief technology officer to leave in early 2025.
Jos Verstappen has said he was already “afraid” that Red Bull was “in danger of falling apart” earlier this season, but that is amplified further now Adrian Newey is departing the team.
Confirmation came on Wednesday that the team’s chief technology officer will leave in the first quarter of 2025 after completing the Red Bull RB17 hypercar project, taking a step back from their Formula 1 design process to do so, after almost two decades in post.
Jos Verstappen: Adrian Newey leaving ‘not good for the future’ of Red Bull
Newey has been at the head of the department that has designed all of Red Bull’s championship-winning cars since their entry into the sport, having joined the team in 2006 from McLaren.
PlanetF1.com understands the terms of his departure should also leave him able to join a Formula 1 rival after the first quarter of 2025, should he wish to stay in the sport, and his signature is likely to be highly sought after – with Ferrari and Aston Martin both linked with having tried to poach Newey from Red Bull.
Former Formula 1 driver Verstappen, father of current reigning three-time World Champion Max, who is contracted to be at Red Bull until 2028, believes this step is one that could be dangerous for the team further down he line.
Having already had rumours that Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko may be suspended earlier this year, which were unfounded, Verstappen believes Newey’s departure is a sign that “key people” are able to leave the team.
“The team is in danger of falling apart. I was afraid of that earlier this year,” Verstappen told Dutch publication De Telegraaf.
“For internal peace, it is important that key people stay on board. That is not the case now.
“Newey is leaving and earlier this year it also looked like Helmut would be sent away. For the future, that is not good.”
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As for Newey himself, he explained that he felt the time was right for him to move onto something new, bring the RB17 to completion before leaving and pass on the “baton” of the technical team to others within the Red Bull organisation.
“Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars,” Newey said.
“My dream was to be an engineer in Formula 1, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality. For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team.
“However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself.
“In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there. I would like to thank the many amazing people I have worked with at Red Bull in our journey over the last 18 years for their talent, dedication and hard work.
“It has been a real privilege, and I am confident that the engineering team are well prepared for the work going into the final evolution of the car under the four-year period of this regulation set.”
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