Mercedes follows Ferrari, and regarding Adrian Newey’s Formula 1 project, the opinion is the same. The British technician, who announced his departure from Red Bull at the beginning of the season, was linked to almost every team on the grid. While Ferrari was long considered the main candidate for his signature, in the end, it was Aston Martin that prevailed, completing a team ready to win with the superstar engineer.
The Adrian Newey saga filled the newspapers for months. First, there was Ferrari, then Aston Martin appeared, followed, in no particular order, by Williams, Mercedes, and McLaren. According to paddock rumors, almost every team on the grid had discussions with the British engineer. Nothing surprising, given the prestigious track record of the former Red Bull engineer.
While Lawrence Stroll’s team is most likely the one that made the highest offer to Adrian Newey, the reasons that led the rivals to back off are varied. However, Ferrari and Mercedes provide one reason in particular: confidence in their own staff and the desire not to upset the internal balance of their technical departments by bringing in a name of immeasurable weight.
“I believe all the teams thought about it,” explained Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes. “James [Allison, Mercedes technical director] and I discussed it, we compared notes, and we came to the conclusion that the structure we have today is the one we believe in and want to continue with. We let it go because we believe in our team.” – the Mercedes boss added.
The Austrian congratulated Aston Martin for the strength of their technical and managerial departments. In the near future, they will almost certainly be competitive, but according to Toto Wolff, this will be a good thing: “The more teams are competitive at the top, and if you look at today’s race from a fan’s perspective, the better it will be.” – he concluded.
Source: f1ingenerale
