During the most recent episode of the Full Gas podcast, Italian motorsport journalist Matteo Novembrini—known for his work with Autosprint and The Race Italia—shared what he believes is the real reason behind Adrian Newey’s decision to reject Scuderia Ferrari’s offer and join Aston Martin. According to Matteo Novembrini, the key figure responsible for the missed opportunity is Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur.
As Ferrari continues to face scrutiny in the 2025 Formula 1 season for its underwhelming performance, fans, journalists, and insiders are questioning what went wrong with a car that was expected to be competitive in the final year of the current technical regulations. The SF-25, which was intended to signal a return to former glory for the Maranello-based team, has instead failed to meet expectations—expectations that were heavily promoted before the start of the season, possibly with excessive optimism.
Matteo Novembrini, speaking on Full Gas, did not mince words: “Who is the number one suspect for why Adrian Newey didn’t come to Ferrari? It’s Frédéric Vasseur. That must be said very clearly,” he stated during the podcast.
He then elaborated, adding further context: “After many attempts, Adrian Newey had finally accepted Ferrari’s pursuit. If the deal didn’t go through, it’s because there were differences in vision between him and Vasseur.” Novembrini also acknowledged that, while he does not personally frequent the Formula 1 paddock, in this particular case, reliable sources passed the information on to him.
Clashing visions and internal dynamics
Delving deeper into the reasons behind the rejection, Matteo Novembrini explained: “Adrian Newey had presented a list of trusted collaborators he wanted to bring with him to Maranello. However, Frédéric Vasseur interpreted this list as a threat—believing it would diminish his own authority and influence within the team.” He added: “The truth is, Adrian Newey has always worked this way. He studied engineering at the University of Southampton and has historically surrounded himself with engineers who graduated from the same institution.”
Essentially, what Matteo Novembrini describes is not a reluctance on Newey’s part to relocate to Italy or join Ferrari in principle, but rather a clash of egos and internal power dynamics. This version of events contrasts sharply with the initial narrative reported by many media outlets when news first broke that Adrian Newey had turned down Ferrari.
The situation underscores a long-standing characteristic of Ferrari: the political and hierarchical structure within the team often influences key decisions—sometimes to the detriment of sporting performance. Ferrari, unlike any other Formula 1 outfit, has a deeply rooted internal culture where strategic decisions can be shaped as much by power plays as by technical considerations.
If the Italian motorsport journalist’s version of the story is accurate, it paints a picture of yet another missed opportunity for Ferrari, driven not by technical limitations or budgetary constraints, but by internal disagreements at the top. The missed chance to sign Adrian Newey—widely regarded as the greatest Formula 1 designer of the modern era—could go down as one of the most consequential management missteps in recent Ferrari history.
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