A “dozen” of people who know Adrian Newey have a “real chance” that the design guru will join Ferrari, having already met with a representative in London to discuss a forward-looking future.
After several failed attempts over the decades to recruit Newey, Ferrari could recruit their man next season with reports claiming they would be favourites if the Briton decides to continue in Formula 1.
Sometime before April 1 next year, Newey will leave Red Bull after 19 seasons with Milton Keynes and at least 12 league titles.
It is the latter that attracts those who court Newey because he has designed winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull. Legend and genius are two words that have been talked about a lot since Wednesday’s announcement.
But while Newey, who is in Miami this weekend with Red Bull, has “no plans” for his long-term career at the moment, Ferrari would do everything imaginable to lure him to Maranello for a dream team with the signing of Lewis Hamilton in 2025.
Sky Sports’ Craig Slater said talks between the Briton and the Italian had already begun.
“Ferrari is the most likely place,” Slater told Sky Sports. “I’ve spoken to a dozen people who know Adrian and others connected with Ferrari well, and they all think there’s a genuine possibility of that happening.
“Adrian, if I don’t see wrong, he still doesn’t know what he’s going to do.
“I know there was a meeting, I can’t verify that it was with Fred Vasseur, but Adrian met with a Ferrari representative in London to talk about a possible stopover there, but we’re still in the early stages.
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However, one team that is not expected to start releasing the 65-year-old is Aston Martin, who are rumoured to be putting a significant offer on the table.
“A lot of other people know where it’s not going,” Slater continued. “30 other people are in a position to tell me it’s not Aston Martin, it’s not good for them. “
When asked why Aston Martin wouldn’t be a good fit, Slater replied: “Maybe because of the nature of the dynamics there. I mean, it’s Laurence Stroll’s project. “
“Maybe it doesn’t have the old appeal for him at this point in his career either.
“Yo Ferrari is the obvious place, right?”
Ferrari would possibly be in the lead, as reports say, but Williams’ James Vowles revealed he had had “light conversations” with Newey. After all, it would be “disgusting” to miss such an opportunity.
It’s the concept of several teams, Martin Brundle estimates it’s four, but he says they want the finances and resources to capitalize on Newey’s experience.
“All the teams will say they don’t communicate with them because they have to,” said the nine-time F1 podium winner. “A, they may not have it, and B, they don’t need to disappoint the technical staff who do. “I’m already dealing with saying, “Hey, you’re doing a smart job, guys, but there’s someone we like Adrian’s look at. “Newey.
“So everybody’s going to play this game.
“I think the only groups that can play Adrian Newey will have to have the budget and the resources, otherwise there’s no point in betting on him if you don’t have the amenities to use his expertise, otherwise you’re just wasting your time and money.
“So I think there are four other groups that, to varying degrees and with varying awareness, will do everything they can to get Adrian Newey. “
And signing the design legend also comes with a “double-edged sword,” as Brundle puts it, “because if you have Adrian Newey, some other team doesn’t, so it’s worth paying for, just not being with him. “others. . “
Slater replied to this: “I mean, in sporting terms, there’s nothing wonderful about bringing Ferrari back into the championship if that’s what it manages to do. “
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