Former Ferrari engineer foresees major issues for Red Bull after Adrian Newey exit

Former Ferrari engine engineer Ernest Knoors is anticipating significant challenges for Red Bull after the recent news that Adrian Newey is close to parting ways with the Austrian team. Speculation has been rife about the departure of the chief technical officer, adding to the mounting uncertainty surrounding Red Bull’s future.

Reports suggest that Adrian Newey is edging closer to the end of his tenure at Red Bull. While no official confirmation has been made, indications point towards the 65-year-old British car designer expressing discontent with the Austrian team and exploring options for his next venture within Formula 1.

In light of the ongoing speculation and the potential ramifications, RacingNews365 reached out to ex-Ferrari Formula 1 engine engineer Ernest Knoors, who has a wealth of experience from his time at BMW and the Maranello team. Ernest Knoors predicts a potential exodus of talent from Red Bull if Adrian Newey indeed decides to depart, drawing upon his own professional background to support his analysis.

“I went through this myself at Ferrari,” he pointed out, making a comparison with his own experience in Italy – “At one point the Michael Schumacher period came to an end there, Ross Brawn then also left. When such a leading person decides to go, it’s always something you have to wonder about: where is this going?”

Adrian Newey, a seasoned figure with experience at Leyton House, Williams, and McLaren, currently serves as the chief technical officer at Red Bull, a position he has held since for almost two decades.

Yet, there have been murmurs indicating that the British engineer’s involvement in car development may have diminished recently, with reports informing that Pierre Waché is assuming more responsibility in this domain, potentially taking over tasks previously overseen by Adrian Newey as team principal Christian Horner was aware that the 65-year-old had been considering to leave Red Bull.

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However, according to Ernest Knoors, the extent of Adrian Newey’s direct involvement may be less relevant when considering the significant influence he wields within Red Bull.

“Whether Waché has more influence doesn’t really matter that much. When such a leading figure of your team and such a greatness leaves, it always creates question marks with the people who work under it. It creates unrest in that organisation,” he added.

When asked if this situation could lead to other key team members deciding to leave Red Bull after Adrian Newey, Ernest Knoors admitted that this could happen, explaining that a key figure departure can cause discontent in the ranks.

“It makes people, engineers and mechanics, more open to offers from other teams. And you always have that with a team that performs at the top of its game for a very long time. At some point people then start looking around, maybe the people who are not quite at the top. Are there opportunities? Are there openings on other teams where they can step up?” – the former Formula 1 engineer continued.

Ernest Knoors also highlighted the importance of pushing for stability and not allowing a vacuum to develop: “It is the big risk for Red Bull. The stability of the team. What else is going to happen? Who else is going to leave?” he added.

He proceeded to emphasize the pivotal responsibility that Christian Horner will need to shoulder, emphasizing the necessity for the 50-year-old to foster harmony within the team. Regarding his capability to achieve this, Ernest Knoors expresses skepticism, particularly considering the current atmosphere at Red Bull: “At some point a strong leader, in this case Christian Horner, does have to make sure he keeps enough techies and bright minds in that team. And is Christian Horner currently the undisputed and impeccable leader who can provide that? That may well be questionable.” – Ernest Knoors concluded.