Adrian Newey revealed that he had to leave Red Bull to remain "true" to himself, but admitted that 12 months ago, he would have called his departure "crazy".
Newey announced his exit from Red Bull on May 1 of the previous year, and his move to Aston Martin was confirmed on September 10.
He will officially begin his role as managing technical partner at the Silverstone-based team at the start of March, focusing on designing the car for the new power unit regulations set for 2026.
Many assumed Newey would retire from Formula 1 at Red Bull, but the Briton felt compelled to leave the Milton Keynes team. After deciding to depart, he faced the decision of whether to retire, work in another sport, or join another F1 team.
In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Newey explained his choice to stay in Formula 1: “I think that (question) goes back slightly. So I think if you’d said to me 12 months ago, would I be leaving Red Bull, and then now, ultimately starting again, I’d have said, ‘No, you’re crazy’. But for various reasons, I felt I wouldn’t be true to myself if I stayed at Red Bull.
“So the first difficult decision was exactly that, do I stay or not at Red Bull? So obviously, I came to the conclusion that in being honest to myself, I couldn’t. And then, having made that decision, it was then what to do next?”
Discussing his options with his wife, Mandy, Newey considered retirement, involvement in the America’s Cup, or transitioning to road car design with an OEM.
However, his love for Formula 1, the pinnacle of motorsport, made the choice clear. “And if I was going to stay in racing, then I might as well stay in Formula 1, assuming people wanted me,” Newey stated.
For Newey, continuing in F1 is not about necessity but passion, given that he has spent the majority of his waking life working on championship-winning cars. Now 66, Newey remains the most decorated designer in the sport’s history and still harbors a desire to achieve more.
Newey explained his perspective on work and retirement, saying, “I feel incredibly lucky to have had that position where I kind of enjoyed my waking day, which, after all, let’s say that your waking hours are 16 hours, then you should probably spend at least eight to 10, if not more, at work.
“So a big percentage of your waking life. And so to enjoy that is very lucky. So a long way of saying I really came to the conclusion that actually I did want to carry on working, that I’d get bored doing nothing. And so if I was going to work, then why not continue doing what I’ve always wanted to do and have enjoyed doing?”
Posts found on X from January 27, 2025, echo Newey’s sentiments, where he reiterated his surprise at leaving Red Bull, emphasizing the unexpected nature of his career move.
