Adrian Newey to Ferrari announcement could be made after the F1 Miami GP: Reports

With Adrian Newey's departure from Red Bull announced, the Italian publications are claiming that the announcement of his move to Ferrari could be made after the F1 Miami GP.

According to the Italian publication La Gazzetta, after Newey's discussion with the Milton Keynes squad, the ace designer had a meeting with none other than Fred Vasseur.

Ferrari is one destination that Adrian Newey has entertained multiple times in his career but for one reason or another, things haven't come together. With the reports of friction at Red Bull early in the season, not only the Italian giant but other competitors like Mercedes and Aston Martin have reached out to Newey with lucrative offers.

As the reports of Adrian Newey wanting to leave Red Bull intensified, La Gazzetta claimed that the Ferrari team principal did not travel with the team to Miami. Instead, he went to London, where he met Newey, and the final few chinks in the deal were aligned. According to the publication, the announcement could be made as early as after the F1 Miami GP. The report reads,

"Yesterday Fred Vasseur, the team principal of the red, did not travel with the team to Miami, where they will compete on Sunday. He instead flew to London. Reason? Meeting Newey himself in the evening, perhaps to conclude the agreement that has been whispered about for some time, which will bring the English genius to Maranello from next season. The announcement of the signing is likely to be made after the GP."

Adrian Newey will not work on the F1 project for Red Bull any further

In Red Bull's press release, Adrian Newey thanked the team and the brand for the opportunity and association for the last 19 years. Newey also revealed that he would work exclusively on the road car project RB17 for the rest of this stay with the team.

It is also interesting that there is no gardening leave for Newey, something that has been the norm in F1 whenever a key personnel leaves the team. In the official press release, Newey said,

"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."

Whether Newey ends up at Ferrari or not is a question we might get an answer to soon. It does, however, make for an interesting silly season where anything seems possible at this stage.