Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, has recently extended his contract with the team, but revealed he’s been tempted to join Ferrari in the past.
Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer, has recently Probably the most successful Formula 1 designer in the history of the sport, with 13 Championship winning cars coming out of his drawing board, and the 14th, this year’s Red Bull RB19 most probably joining its predecessors soon.
While reports about Newey joining Ferrari have always been popping out every now and then, the Briton has never made the move to Italy, and most recently renewed his collaboration with Red Bull, one that started in 2006 and yielded five F1 Constructors’ Titles and and six F1 Drivers’ Crowns.
Newey revealed that he has flirted with the Ferrari move, but the ultimate decision to join the Scuderia was never made.
Family meant the Ferrari project didn’t happen
“I’ve had discussions with Ferrari in the past,” he told Sky Italy. “I’ve been very tempted because it’s such a legendary brand. The time that was most tempting would have been around 1993 and 1997 when I moved from Williams to McLaren.
“That was a very tough choice,” he admitted. “At the time, my kids were young and I didn’t know how they would settle in an Italian school. If I was to move to a team that was based in Italy, I would have to move to Italy with the family.
“Now at Red Bull, I have been involved with more or less since the start, moving teams is always a huge workload to re-establish yourself and get the working practices, so honestly, if I was 20 years younger, maybe,” Newey concluded.
Newey started his F1 career in part way into the 1986 season with Force F1, and then joined March in the 1988 season before moving to Williams in 1990.
He left Williams at the end of the 1996 F1 season and joined McLaren where he remained until 2006 when he joined the Red Bull F1 program at its early beginnings. He remains with the Melton Keynes today.