"Maybe Ferrari can scoop him": Fans react as former Adrian Newey prodigy at Red Bull becomes free agent

Off-track switches and changes in Formula 1 never seem to end. The latest one under the spotlight is the exit of former Red Bull staff member Dan Fallows. The 51-year-old is reportedly set to depart the Aston Martin team outright, which has left fans wondering.

Fallows, who joined the Silverstone outfit ahead of the 2022 season, left his role as Technical Director following the announcement of Adrian Newey’s arrival in November 2024. He moved to a different role within the Aston Martin organization. However, just five months after the switch, a report from media outlet PlanetF1 revealed that the British aerodynamicist is now set to leave the team entirely.

According to the report, the reason for the former Red Bull Racing engineer’s departure from Aston Martin was linked to the sharp decline suffered by the F1 team since its impressive start to the 2023 season. The Silverstone squad has failed to replicate the highs of 2023, which saw them achieve a season-best eight podium finishes with Fernando Alonso.

The report also noted that the strained relationship Fallows shared with Newey during their final years together at Red Bull Racing was a contributing factor to his imminent exit. Fallows had been working within Aston Martin’s Performance Technologies division following his transition from F1 duties in November 2024.

Following the emergence of this report, an X account, F1BigData, revealed that the 51-year-old's LinkedIn account lists him as unemployed — a detail that has since triggered reactions from fans.

One fan, sharing thoughts on Fallows' departure, wrote:

"The fall of Dan needs to be studied."

Another fan, commenting on his technical credentials, wrote:

"He's been exposed at Aston. Perhaps he was relying on other employees at Red Bull."

Meanwhile, a third fan speculated on his next career move:

"Maybe Ferrari can scoop him."

Reflecting on the possible ripple effect of his exit, another commented:

“Alonso's third has never been more over.”

One fan also reacted:

“Bro's been given the boot 💀”

Another fan was pleased that Fallows didn’t join McLaren in 2022, added:

“McLaren dodged a bullet by not hiring him.”

Red Bull’s Bahrain GP problem uncovered by Max Verstappen

Red Bull Racing's driver, Max Verstappen, discusses with his team in the garage during the second practice session of the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen highlighted a major problem the Red Bull team might have in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Speaking to the media, the Dutch driver pointed to tire degradation as a key concern for the team, especially under the hot weather in Sakhir.

The 27-year-old, who coasted to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix, explained how the tire wear issues could leave Red Bull Racing vulnerable to rivals during the race—an issue that was evident during the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.

Speaking to the media via PlanetF1, Verstappen stated:

“I mean, the first stint in Australia, we got destroyed. Also with the overheating and deg in general—the same in China.

"I would say to a certain extent also in Suzuka, but you can’t pass, because Lando was closing up to me at the end of that first stint again, and I knew that was coming. I was just driving to my own pace. But I think because the track temperature dropped quite a bit on the day, that helped a bit.

"Here, yeah, it’s going to be hot. Of course, we drive at night, so it will cool down a little bit, but still hot. Aggressive tarmac. But it’s up to us to try and find those improvements in the car or in the tire behavior and just go from there.”

The words of the four-time champion echo the sentiments of Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko. The 81-year-old has also highlighted tire degradation as one of the major problems the team aims to address with its upcoming car upgrades.

Sakhir Circuit, home of the Bahrain Grand Prix, is one of F1’s tracks with particularly abrasive asphalt, and its tarmac has remained unchanged since its opening in 2004.