Adrian Newey is undoubtedly the most successful designer in Formula 1 history. He contributed to Williams’ era of success from 1992 to 1997 (notably with the legendary FW14B), led McLaren to victory with the MP4-13, orchestrated Red Bull’s triumphs from 2010 to 2014, and is now part of the dominant cycle since 2021.
The British car designer is unquestionably one of the few capable of making a difference in Formula 1. Red Bull knew this well, attempting in every way to retain him, and Scuderia Ferrari also understands this, as they are determined to return to victory by building a dream team that will include the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton from next year. How much this historic move has influenced Newey’s potential arrival in Maranello has already been discussed in another article. Briefly, for Lewis Hamilton, it was one of the conditions for accepting the transfer from Mercedes.
If Adrian Newey were to accept Ferrari’s offer, after years of chasing without achieving, even paying a toll in terms of regulations, the Scuderia could potentially enter the new era with a lineup that others would have to chase. This inevitably brings us back to the days of the Jean Todt/Ross Brawn/Michael Schumacher era and their triumphs.
But what could have finally convinced the brilliant English designer to accept Ferrari’s proposal?
A source close to the Italian website formula1.it, who has been able to speak with Adrian Newey in recent days, has exclusively revealed to formula1.it some of the most interesting points of the proposal presented by Ferrari chairman John Elkann.
A huge salary
We are not only talking about the over 20 million dollars proposed for the work in the F1 team (which could be 25), but also about Adrian Newey’s involvement in projects (and therefore remuneration) related to other contexts, from the WEC (where he would play a consultant role) to sailing (to support Giovanni Soldini in the new adventure of the Scuderia), including the signing of at least one road car. A sort of multi-sector contract capable of fascinating and enticing Adrian Newey from all perspectives.
An astute move by John Elkann, who, unable to indefinitely increase Adrian Newey’s salary solely tied to his work in the F1 team, limited by the budget cap, has found a way to place him at the center of the entire Ferrari world. Even Red Bull started this path a few years ago, especially since it was sanctioned for violating the budget cap (also due to Newey’s salary), but the non-F1 projects of the Austrian team are less appealing than those of Maranello.
Total control
Adrian Newey at Ferrari would find himself for the first time in a constructor team, and one of the conditions that ended up on the negotiating table concerns the possibility of having a say in all aspects of the car, from the chassis to the engine. We know how extreme Adrian Newey’s ideas are, and being able to dictate guidelines even on the power unit design, on parameters like dimensions, center of gravity, and power delivery, would allow him to push even further. From this perspective, Ferrari in 2026 might not be “constrained” as an engine supplier for other teams since both Sauber and probably Haas with the new regulations will use other engines, and in Maranello, they could build a project entirely focused on Adrian Newey’s aerodynamic and technical needs.
Remote work
Ferrari has tried several times to bring Adrian Newey to Maranello, but one of the factors that has always held back the English designer was the consequent radical change in lifestyle caused by the move to Italy, especially unwelcome to his wife.
Ferrari would be willing to accept involvement that does not require his constant presence in Maranello, repeating a not very positive experiment already done in the past with John Barnard but without the so-called “technological antenna” detached in England. It would be simple remote work, normal video calls for digital meetings that have now entered our working lives, especially after Covid. Adrian could participate remotely in daily meetings and be present in person only for the most important weekly appointments, a condition to be guaranteed especially during the winter break, while his presence with the team during race weekends around the world would remain unchanged.
This is the point that, once defined, could have shifted Adrian Newey’s preference towards Ferrari, surpassing the alternative, Aston Martin, which inherently involved easy work at the Silverstone headquarters, just a few kilometers from one of his residences.
Obviously, there are many other aspects that have ended up on the negotiating table, and as mentioned, the arrival of Hamilton and the allure of the challenge and potential final glory also weigh heavily, but for Adrian Newey, no longer a young man, total autonomy, control over the entire project, and the possibility of not moving may be the key points in determining his choice.
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