After nearly two decades and 13 championships with Red Bull Racing, legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey has opened up about his decision to walk away from the team—and why he chose to remain in Formula 1 by joining Aston Martin for the 2026 regulations.
“I Had No Idea What I Was Going to Do”
Newey admitted that his departure from Red Bull was motivated by a “whole host of reasons,” and that at the time, he had no clear plan for the future.
“It was kind of sitting back, thinking about it,” Newey told Sky Sports F1, “chatting to Mandy, my wife… from relaxing on sun holidays to drinking margaritas—or going back to work.”
🌊 America’s Cup and Road Cars Were On the Table
Newey considered shifting gears completely. With Red Bull’s involvement in the America’s Cup, he weighed working on sailing yachts but was put off by the four-year competition cycle and lack of real-time correction.
“If you haven’t got the design quite right, you really haven’t got time to sort it out,” he said. “Whereas in F1, you can turn things around during the season.”
He also considered road car development, drawing on his experience with Aston Martin’s Valkyrie and Red Bull’s RB17, but found the pace too slow for his liking.
“What I’ve loved about my career is that combination of man and machine, sporting endeavour—being out on show, often every week.”
✈️ Aeronautics Didn’t Offer Enough Feedback
Comparing F1 to aerospace, Newey noted the long development cycles in aeronautics as another turn-off.
“They’re working on projects where you don’t see them fly for 10 or 15 years… there’s not a lot of feedback.”
🔧 Why Aston Martin?
Ultimately, the thrill of racing, the fast feedback loop, and the competitive edge drew him back to Formula 1—and specifically to Aston Martin. Having collaborated with them before, Newey found the opportunity to shape the 2026 car from the ground up too enticing to pass up.
His move marks a major coup for Aston Martin, who are aiming to break into the top tier of F1 just as new engine and chassis regulations kick in.
