Formula 1’s most successful designer Adrian Newey has given the strongest indication yet he intends to continue in the sport after leaving Red Bull.
The 65-year-old’s departure from the world champions was confirmed two weeks ago. He will become a free agent early next year, prompting speculation he will join one of Red Bull’s rivals in time to oversee the creation of a car for F1’s new 2026 technical regulations.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stressed Newey’s desire to take some time out when his departure was announced. But speaking in an interview with his manager Eddie Jordan, Newey admitted “at some point I’ll probably go again” after leaving the team.
Newey revealed he spoke with IndyCar owner Roger Penske and former Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone, who are 87 and 93 respectively, who inspired him to carry on working. He said his plans were also influenced by the memory of his father, who suffered a series of brain haemorrhages which impaired his cognitive abilities before his death in 2008.
“It’s slightly emotional to say it, but he kind of lost his way a bit in his retirement,” said Newey. “I thought he’d be very happy continuing to tinker around on cars and stuff and he just lost his mojo a bit.
“[So] kind of a combination of that and then two of the people that I respect the most, Bernie and Roger Penske, I asked them both ‘what’s your secret?’ because they’ve kept going and going and for their age they’re phenomenally mentally agile and physically agile. And they both said that old thing that the brain’s like a muscle, it needs exercise and so you need to keep doing that.”
He still feels the desire to continue working in motorsport. “I’ve wanted to work in motor racing as a designer since I was the age of eight or ten and I’ve been lucky enough to fulfil that ambition to have got that first job and been in motor racing ever since.
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“So every day has just been a bonus really, I just love what I do. So at some point I guess I’ll have a bit of a holiday and as Forrest Gump said at the end of his long run, I feel a little bit tired at the moment, but at some point I’ll probably go again.”
The constant feedback provided by competition is a key part of the appeal of motorsport, said Newey.
“The great thing about motor racing – it can be very painful – but every two weeks or so, well every flipping week now the way the calendar’s…
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