Despite rumours that Adrian Newey would marry Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, Dutch journalist Jack Plooij claims that Hamilton’s arrival in 2025 would save the prominent designer from moving to Maranello.
Instead, he believes that if Newey makes the decision to continue in Formula 1, it would be “only” with a team that includes Max Verstappen, who has been linked with Mercedes.
In a year of primary announcements, Newey joined Hamilton in breaking with the announcement that he would leave Red Bull in the first quarter of 2025.
Like Hamilton, he also signed a new two-year contract for 2024 and 2025 last year, and like Hamilton, he will leave ahead of schedule.
While Hamilton’s surprise announcement that he will be leaving for Ferrari, Newey’s, at least for now, is that he will leave Red Bull speculating that Ferrari could be his next destination.
The Scuderia has created several games for the design guru over the decades, but now it’s said that it could still close the deal.
Plooij doesn’t see that happening.
“If Newey goes back to work, it will be with Verstappen,” predicted the Ziggo Sport journalist.
“I don’t think I’m going anywhere for Lewis Hamilton to win a title. I think Max brings him a lot of joy.
“Are we still thinking about 2021? Who cries [tears of joy] in front of the moat wall?New!
“Horner just said, yes baby, yes baby! Newey crying. He’s very pleased about that.
“So I’m sure he’s only going somewhere if Max is there. “
Verstappen, despite a contract with Red Bull that runs until 2028, remains linked with a move to Mercedes in 2026.
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Hamilton would love to work with Newey, whose cars have won 25 championship titles and two more on the horizon with Red Bull.
Asked in Miami if he would like Newey to sign for him at Ferrari, Hamilton replied: “A lot.
“Adrian has a wonderful history and track record and he’s just done an amazing job in his career by getting involved with the groups and the wisdom that he has and I think he would be an amazing addition.
“They already have a wonderful team. They are already making great progress, abundant progress. His car is faster this year. But yes, it would be a privilege to paint with him. “
“If I had to make a list of other people I’d like to paint with, he’d probably be the most sensible on the list. “
As for Newey, he is “flattered” to hear this from Hamilton, but he remains a partner in his preference for taking a break from Formula 1.
“Honestly, it’s very good for Lewis to say that, I’m very flattered,” he told Sky Sports.
“But for now, it’s just a matter of taking a little break and seeing what happens next.
“I think Mandy and my wife and the dogs will probably travel, we’ll probably take a caravan or something, drive around France and just enjoy life.
“And then at some point, I don’t know when, I’ll be in the shower and say, ‘Well, this will be the next adventure. ‘
“But for now there is no plan. “
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