“His heart is still very much in Formula 1”: Red Bull team principal clears the air on Adrian Newey’s future 

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has cleared the air on Adrian Newey's future with the team. He claims Newey will be with the team for 'many years to come'.

Newey is recognized as one of the foremost experts in Formula 1. He has been instrumental in crafting the Red Bull cars that have enabled Max Verstappen to win consecutive world championships. Their current RB19 has made a commanding start to the 2023 season.

In March, reports surfaced that Newey's contract was due for renewal. However, Horner dismissed any speculation that the 64-year-old would depart the team. Speaking to Sky Sports News, Horner said:

"His heart is still very much in Formula 1 and his commitment to the team is, it's not something…We don't talk about contracts or longevity of contracts, but he'll be here for many years to come. There's always going to be rumours in this paddock, that's Formula 1."

Max Verstappen is well on his way to a third consecutive title victory in his Newey-designed RB19. The Anglo-Austrian team was able to grasp the aerodynamic regulations introduced in 2022, making them the front runners this year as well. The Bulls have won each of the three races so far in 2023, putting them in a good place in both titles.

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Former Red Bull driver slammed stewards at 2023 Australian GP

Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard has strongly criticized the stewards for being overly cautious and nervous during the 2023 Australian GP. He believes this led to unnecessary red flags and impeded the race at Albert Park.

During the race's final six laps, Max Verstappen was leading by nine seconds, with Lewis Hamilton two seconds ahead of Fernando Alonso. However, at Turn 2, Kevin Magnussen's car hit the wall with significant force. It caused his right-rear tire to detach, scattering debris and chunks of metal and carbon fiber across the track.

Race Control initially deployed the Safety Car, but on lap 55, it was upgraded to a red flag, resulting in the drivers returning to the pit lane for the second of three red flag periods during the race.

Coulthard criticized the race control's decision to utilize red flags on every occasion. He believes that a safety car would have sufficed to manage the situation.

Speaking to Channel 4, the former Red Bull driver said:

“I think okay he hit the wall, he got a puncture, there’s a little bit of debris on the track, but I just don’t see the red flag in that. It’s almost like… it’s a difficult job, let’s get it, the referee is always going to be in a difficult situation and in this case of course it’s the stewards and the race director."

He added:

"But it’s like they’re so nervous of making a wrong decision, they’re just taking the overcautious decision every time. A full Safety Car would have handled that in my opinion.”

With most of the season yet to go, it will be interesting to see the stewarding style in times to come.