Ferrari-Adrian Newey talks reportedly broke down due to the group CEO's objection

Negotiations between Adrian Newey and Ferrari are reported to have stalled due to objections raised by Benedetto Vigna, the CEO of the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer.

After Newey announced his departure from his role as Chief Technical Officer at Red Bull Racing, he was strongly linked with a move to Ferrari. The 65-year-old had previously expressed his desire to work with the Maranello-based outfit, as well as Lewis Hamilton.

But according to BBC Sport, negotiations between the two parties have now stalled due to Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna objecting to Adrian Newey's salary demands. The report also suggests that the Italian team is worried about Newey wielding too much power within the technical team and potentially overriding their processes.

Ferrari have already made one high-profile signing, with seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton set to join forces with Charles Leclerc for 2025 and beyond. Following their recent spending, the financial concerns indicate that the team cannot hire another superstar.

Meanwhile, Adrian Newey has not yet made a decision on his future in Formula 1. Aston Martin and McLaren are reportedly in the hunt to sign the veteran F1 designer. Newey is said to be negotiating with the former, and that will most likely be his destination.

Joining the Silverstone squad would fulfill another wish for Adrian Newey, who has expressed a desire to work with Fernando Alonso in the past. Aston Martin could be a lucrative opportunity, especially with Alonso's contract extension and the recent investment to overhaul the team's infrastructure.

On the other hand, McLaren have shown more potential on the track. Newey was part of the McLaren organization during the Ron Dennis era, between 1997 to 2005. A reunion with the Woking-based team is possible, but is reportedly not as likely.

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Adrian Newey opens up about what lies ahead for him

The Red Bull Racing CTO has stepped down from his design duties with the F1 team and will part ways with the organization in early 2025. He is currently involved in the RB17 project, and recently unveiled the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024 (Image: Getty)

In a recent interview with Formula 1, Newey opened up about what lies ahead for him. The design genius suggested that he deserves a "holiday time", having worked non-stop on his recent projects.

"[I can] also take a bit of holiday time. I’ve been kind of in the business pretty much non-stop for a long time now, so having a little bit of a break is nice," Newey said.

When pressed about his future in Formula 1, Adrian Newey refrained from dropping hints about his next destination.