Adrian Newey Pays "Fitting Tribute" To Niki Lauda At Goodwood Festival of Speed

Saajan Jogia | Jul 14, 2024

Adrian Newey Ferrari 312T /

Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey had the honor of driving the iconic Ferrari 312T, once piloted by Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Reflecting on the experience, Newey described the run as "really special" and a "fitting tribute" to the F1 icon.

Lauda, who passed away in 2019, was a three-time world champion who holds the distinction of being the only driver in Formula 1 history to have won a championship for both Ferrari and McLaren. In 1975, he piloted the Ferrari 312T to victories in Monaco, Belgium, Sweden, France, and the USA, thereby clinching his first World Championship title.

Newey has been a central figure at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, primarily due to Red Bull's exhibition of the 1200+ HP RB17 hypercar which he designed. Despite the hypercar garnering much attention, Saturday morning provided a unique opportunity for him to shift his focus to a special vehicle, one that he did not have a hand in designing- Lauda's Ferrari 312T.

Speaking of his drive up the Goodwood Hill to the media, he said:

“To to be driving Niki’s old car, his Championship-winning car, is so special it really is.

"I knew Niki quite well and so to be in here sitting in the same seat and just trying to think what he must have been experiencing and how he’s prepared himself before the start and everything is really special.

“It’s absolutely amazing and a very fitting tribute to him."

Adrian Newey au volant d'une... Ferrari👀

Il s'agit de la 312 B3 de 1974 de Niki Lauda ! #FOS #GoodwoodFOS pic.twitter.com/q4gx1Pb7Zq

— Motorsport France (@Motorsport_FR) July 13, 2024

Newey then delved into the technical aspects of the car, highlighting the stark differences in engineering between the past and present. He explained how mechanical and straightforward the tools were back then, often constrained by tight budgets, relying heavily on engineers' gut instincts to achieve the optimal setup. He added:

“The cars are so different. I mean, I love these cars. The Lotus 49 from ’67, ’68 was the first car I really sort of started to look at and then by the time we got to this car, then I was 15, I did a painting of it actually for my art project.

“Looking at the engineering back then, it must have been a fascinating area to work in because on the plus side you had a rule book which is about two pages but the budgets are relatively small, and I think much more importantly, you didn’t have the research tools.

“The design part was done primarily on gut instinct. Wind tunnels were just starting so it must have been fascinating.”

Newey, the mastermind behind Red Bull's cars of the ground effect era spends his last season with the Milton Keynes outfit. Amid rumors linking him to various F1 teams for 2025, including Ferrari, a recent report indicates that he is considering a move to either McLaren or Aston Martin.