Max Verstappen admits ‘only one Adrian Newey’ amidst new Ferrari rumours

Amidst rumours Ferrari could make another play for Adrian Newey after signing Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen admits the Red Bull design guru is irreplaceable.

It’s long been known that Ferrari want to bring Newey over to Maranello as he is the sport’s most successful designer ever with 25 championship wins to his name.

To date, though, the Briton has rebuffed their advances although he did reveal last year that “emotionally” there is some regret about that.

‘You cannot replace Adrian because there is only one Adrian’

That he went on to speak about wanting to work with Lewis Hamilton, and that it would’ve “been fabulous”, has seen Newey’s name once again linked with Ferrari.

It is being widely speculated that Hamilton’s move to Ferrari next season could be the final key to signing the design legend with former Ferrari driver Ivan Capelli saying “above all” that could be “attractive” to Newey.

That would be a huge loss for Red Bull with Newey’s cars on a three-year Drivers’ Championship streak, having also won the last two Constructors’ crowns.

“No one will be like Adrian,” Verstappen admitted to Motorsport-Magazin when asked if the 65-year-old was irreplaceable.

“That’s the great thing about it: everyone is different and everyone achieves success in a different way. Therefore, no, you cannot replace Adrian because there is only one Adrian.

“But it’s wonderful to see new talent coming in that he’s been working with for a long time. And it’s wonderful to see how this talent goes its own way and how we achieve what we do.”

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Christian Horner quizzed on Adrian Newey’s Red Bull future

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner was recently quizzed about Newey’s future with his own internal investigation at Red Bull also rumoured to be playing a role in the designer’s decision.

Last season Newey signed a new contract with Red Bull but the team did not reveal any details about it, not even the duration.

Horner is still refusing to share that information.

“Look, I’m not going to discuss the ins and outs of individual contracts,” he said. “We have a great team, we have great strength in depth.

“Adrian has been here a long time, as I have, but there are also many others that play a key, key role so, yeah, not going talk about contractual details of employees of the team.”

Max Verstappen confident Red Bull’s future is bright, even without Newey

The good news for Red Bull, though, is even if Newey does head off to Ferrari or somewhere else, Verstappen believes his nurturing of Red Bull’s new design talent has already put them on a good footing for the future.

“We also have to recognise the entire group of people behind it,” he said, “because it’s not just Adrian, it’s the entire group of engineers around him who are also doing an incredible job.

“I see Adrian more like this: You have new talents that are emerging and then you just have Adrian.

“He is like a mentor. Many of them have questions that they can ask him and then discuss with him. Adrian is now 65.

“You also have to recognise the young talents who are coming along. I find it fascinating how they now work completely together.”

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