It emerged on Thursday that Newey has expressed privately to some members of the Red Bull team about his desire to leave the Milton Keynes-based squad.
Although the outfit remains dominant in F1, it is suggested that Newey has got disillusioned with the fallout of the power battle that erupted earlier this year for control of the squad amid uncertainty over team boss Christian Horner’s future.
However, sources have suggested that the situation is not as clear cut as some believe – and that there has been no formal communication with senior management at the Milton Keynes-based team nor Red Bull’s energy drinks parent company about him leaving his chief technical officer position.
Furthermore, sources have suggested that there has not been any official resignation handed in.
The shock development has inevitably fuelled talk that Newey’s departure could open the door for a move to a big-money rival, with it known that both Ferrari and Aston Martin have been trying to lure the design legend on board.
Both teams would benefit from the input of Newey, as they lay out lofty targets to get to the front of F1.
Ferrari will be bolstered by the arrival of Lewis Hamilton next year, and a Newey switch there would see him work with both the Italian squad and the seven-time world champion for the first time.
However, it is questionable about whether or not Newey would want to go through a major upheaval in his life and move to Maranello – and potentially walk into a situation that could be just as politically complex as Red Bull.
Aston Martin has also been trying to lure Newey, with Motorsport.com revealing recently that owner Lawrence Stroll has personally made an offer to attract him.
Stroll has a super ambitious vision for the Silverstone-based squad, and a move there for Newey would be logistically easier for him – and would see him renew a working relationship with Dan Fallows after the pair worked closely together at Red Bull for several years.
But the situation surrounding Newey is incredibly complex, especially when it comes down to his contractual arrangements.
As Red Bull made clear in a statement on Thursday evening, Newey’s current contract, which was signed early last year, currently commits him to working at the team until the end of 2025.
However, it is also understood that there are further contractual non-complete clauses that could prevent him joining one of Red Bull’s rivals for another 12 months…
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