Will Ferrari have the dream combination of Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Newey in 2025? The Scuderia has already snapped up the seven-time world champion, but is the star designer also following him?
Newey is actually firmly in the saddle at Red Bull, but recent events in the racing team may have at least opened the door for him to leave. Newey is considered a close friend of team boss Christian Horner, and both are said to have linked contracts.
If Horner has to go or if the team continues to be worn down by current events, Newey could also go. Ralf Schumacher had already said that Newey was “a person in need of harmony” and that he “certainly won’t do that to himself in the long run.”
One option would be Mercedes, where he could go with Max Verstappen if the Dutchman also pulls the ripcord, but perhaps an even more realistic option would be Ferrari.
Newey emphasized last year that he emotionally regretted never having worked for Ferrari. He could do that again. And he could also work there with Lewis Hamilton, with whom he has also never had direct contact. That too would have been “fabulous,” as he said at the time. Newey could kill two birds with one stone.
“My move showed that anything is possible”
Hamilton himself doesn’t want to rule it out: “I think my move has shown that anything is possible.”
However, he downplays the importance of the designer: “I know that Adrian gets all the praise for everyone’s work. I know that he’s a big part of it, of course, but I also know that there are so many engineers who are part of the development in the background,” says Hamilton. “It’s not because of one person.”
“It’s not my decision either,” he continues. “But I’m racing against him this year, so I can’t say anything about next year yet.”
He currently doesn’t see that Max Verstappen could take his place at Mercedes: “I’m sure Max is on the list, but I’m pretty sure he has a contract. And I can’t see why one “Should leave the car that’s so good.”
Memories of difficult McLaren times
But who knows what else will happen at Red Bull. The team is facing a breaking point and is in danger of losing important employees. Hamilton himself knows how difficult this is for a team because he is reminded of his time at McLaren, when the then team boss Ron Dennis came under a lot of pressure in the wake of the Spygate affair.
“We went through a difficult time and that affected everyone. I don’t know if it’s the same there, but that’s the experience I remember,” says Hamilton.
“The things Ron had to go through and the steps we had to take affected all of us.”
“A leader is incredibly important because he sets the tone and ensures that the team adheres to the values that the sport exemplifies. There are other people further down the line who are equally important, but the leader is key for the goal you are working towards.”