“Adrian Newey is certainly an issue”: Ferrari TP discusses possibility of signing F1 aero wizard

Ferrari are leading the charge for Red Bull Racing's Adrian Newey. While there's no confirmation from either party, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur discussed the possibility of signing the aero wizard with the German magazine AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT.

Apart from Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari, the second most important news for the 2024 Formula 1 season is Newey's exit from Red Bull Racing. He became a part of the Milton-Keyes-based outfit in 2006 after successful stints with McLaren and Williams F1 teams. With Newey at the helm of the design team, RBR began rising in the constructors table.

The team's first breakthrough came in 2010 with Sebastian Vettel in the driver's seat and in 2021 with Max Verstappen. Now, after close to 18 years with the Austrian outfit, the British engineer decided to part ways as he seeks new challenges.

Since the news of Newey's departure, the likes of Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin and Ferrari have been actively in conversation with the top aerodynamicist.

Speaking with AMuS, Vasseur talked about the challenges in turning around Ferrari's fortune. The French engineer-turned-team principal is looking to make the odds more favorable for the Italian team by getting Newey. However, he shared his concerns about the British engineer as well.

"It would be a serious technical error on my part if I didn't think about Newey. The question is different: Does he fit into the team? And what does he bring to the team for the future? This is not a sure-fire success." Vasseur said.

Here's a look at Fred Vasseur's statement from the interview, as shared by an F1 fan page on X:

"Vasseur: Sometimes one plus one doesn't equal two, but two and a half. Newey is certainly an issue. How it is an issue for everyone."

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Rumors of Ferrari turning down Adrian Newey are rising

News of Adrian Newey and Ferrari entering in advance talks has been ongoing in Formula 1 for the past few months. However, BBC Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson believes Ferrari may have turned down the option of getting Newey for the 2025 season.

"Newey was asked in an interview with BBC Sport last November which driver he most wished he had worked with, and he actually named Fernando Alonso, although I believe he has expressed similar sentiments about Hamilton." Benson said, hinting of Aston Martin making the move for Newey.

Further fueling the rumors is the recent sighting of the Brit at Aston Martin's facility.

"Senior sources in the sport say that Newey is actively engaged with Aston Martin at the moment, and that this is looking his most likely destination. McLaren remain another possibility." Benson added.

With Newey tight-lipped about his eventual move, his future remains uncertain as of now.