Pursuit of Adrian Newey ruled out by 8x F1 champions: "We stick together as a team - in good times and in bad"

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff claimed that they were not in the running to sign Red Bull Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey for the 2025 season. Ahead of the 2024 Miami GP, the aero wizard had announced that he would leave the Austrian team in early May next year and had stopped his F1 duties.

The 65-year-old had a 19-year association with the Milton Keynes-based outfit, joining them in 2006 and leading them to seven driver's and six constructor's championships from 2010 to 2023.

His departure from Red Bull opened the doors for the rest of the grid to approach him for the role for the 2025 season with teams like Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren making the strongest case as of now.

Eight-time world champions Mercedes were also reported to be in contention for Newey's signature, but in his interview with OE24, Wolff shut the door on those reports, saying:

"No. We stick together as a team - in good times and in bad. I know what I have in James Allison (Mercedes technical director) and his management team."

However, the Austrian did not shut the door on the idea of three-time world champion Max Verstappen joining the team:

"Max is, it seems, the strongest driver in the best car at the moment. That's why we always left the door open for him."

"At the moment there is nothing to suggest that Max will leave Red Bull. The car is still the benchmark, he is way ahead in the championship. So why should he flirt with another team?" he added.

---

Adrian Newey gives his take on other teams approaching him

Adrian Newey stated that he wasn't surprised when other teams on the grid approached him to get his signature after his Red Bull exit was announced.

In his interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, the aero wizard emphasized that he would take his time to make the decision about his future, saying (via RacingNews365):

"It wasn’t a big surprise when other teams showed an interest after I announced I was leaving. But I won’t make a quick decision about my future. I need a break to work out if I want to have another go in F1. I also didn’t want to risk going stale.

"I don’t know what my future holds, but instead of dashing around the world to grand prix races this summer, I’ll be able to see my family."

Newey revealed that he had gotten used to the "nonstop pressure of F1" and the demands of getting to the top of the sport and staying there, along with the relentless schedule, and added that "motorsport has always been in my blood."