F1 News
'Newey’s decision will have a big impact on Red Bull' says ex-colleague
Adrian Newey's departure from Red Bull Racing will affect the team for many months. The British designer has brought glory to the Austrian team, earning them six Constructors' Championships in his time, as well as seven Drivers' Championships thanks to his brilliant car designs. Now, since leaving the F1 operation of Red Bull after the Miami Grand Prix, Red Bull have not been their dominating self, and Newey's former colleague Mark Preston believes his departure will impact Red Bull hugely.
Red Bull will miss the 'special character' of Newey
Preston and Newrey both worked in F1 together, with the two designers being part of McLaren. In 2002, the 55-year-old Australian was promoted to Head of Vehicle Technology Laboratories, and he oversaw the development of the radical 2003 McLaren MP4-18A alongside Newey, who was Technical director.
"Adrian Newey’s decision will have a big impact on Red Bull," said Preston, speaking in conversation with OLBG and highlighting how special Newey is in the world of F1. "When you move into the unknown with rules changes Adrian is a special character when it comes to defining the future of the team he is with."
Along with cementing Red Bull as one of the leading teams in F1 since 2010, Newey has been a part of six Constructors' and Drivers' Championships prior to his Red Bull career, showing his success wherever he may be. As a result, Preston knows that wherever the great designer will go, the team will succeed, and he believes that it won't be long until a contract is signed with someone in the world of F1.
"It’s not a surprise that Adrian Newey wants to try new pastures after leaving Red Bull. He thrives in the unknown, in rule changes. Myself, being an engineer, I can see his interest in the small details, and that will probably mean that he doesn’t want to stay away from the sport for too long," predicted the Australian.
But Preston, who also worked for Arrows Grand Prix International and Super Aguri F1, sees Red Bull still fighting at the front of the grid, even with Newey departing: "But Red Bull do have Max Verstappen and lots of good people with a good programme behind them. They're working hard in the background to make sure all those pieces are working nicely together. But I always say that the package is super important and they’ll be looking into the areas that they are missing to fill those gaps with new people."