“There are many possibilities”: Ferrari honcho discusses the prospect of signing F1 aero wizard Adrian Newey

John Elkann recently opened up on the prospect of signing Adrian Newey as he looks to ramp up the aerodynamics department of Scuderia Ferrari. Newey is currently the most sought-after man in the F1 world, and Elkann does not want this chance to slip away.

The Red Bull engineer was in the headlines in the last few months after he insisted on leaving the Austrian team. From there on, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and McLaren all got into the race to sign the most celebrated aerodynamicist of the sport.

Newey is currently associated with the Milton-Keynes-based team and, as per his agreement with Red Bull, the British engineer would be a free agent after the first quarter of 2025. Teams would want to make sure that they snap up the Newey deal within the stipulated time.

One such team is Elkann's Ferrari. When asked about the prospect of signing Newey, he told "Corriere della Sera",

"There are many evaluations, you have to be careful. The right moment must be found in which to do things, as happened with Hamilton."

"With him, there was a convergence of intent that allowed us to work together. There are many possibilities, Newey or others, you have to carefully evaluate whether the conditions are there. We need to understand the level of motivation and the ability to create new things rather than replicate others," he added.

Besides the Prancing Horse, Aston Martin reportedly approached Adrian Newey with a massive offer. It was reported that Lawrence Stroll's team was ready to shell out $126 million for Newey for a four-year deal.

Prior to this, the British team tried their luck during the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, as Stroll and Co. wanted to lure the aero wizard at Silverstone. However, Newey reportedly snubbed the idea.

---

Ferrari offered Adrian Newey a contract: Reports

Adrian Newey, the Chief Technical Officer of Oracle Red Bull Racing talks to the team in the Oracle Red Bull Racing garage prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 03, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Numerous reports surfaced a couple of weeks ago, which linked Adrian Newey with Ferrari on a final deal. The reports claimed that Newey agreed to join the Italian team on a multi-year deal, soon after the Milton-Keynes-based team finalized the Lewis Hamilton deal.

According to a report from BusinessF1 Magazine, Ferrari offered Newey a staggering $105 million for three years to have the design guru on board. The aforementioned source further claimed that Newey and Ferrari were "staying calm and delaying the official announcement."

Adrian Newey is an F1 veteran with over 40 years of experience. He joined Red Bull in 2006 and won 13 championships. Before joining Red Bull, he worked at McLaren and Williams, where he won 12 titles.