Adrian Newey's Manager Opens Up On His Talks With Ferrari - 'Had Long Conversations'

Saajan Jogia | Sep 12, 2024

Adrian Newey / Red Bull Content Pool

Adrian Newey's manager, Eddie Jordan shed light on why negotiations with Ferrari fell through and explained Newey's decision to join Aston Martin instead. Newey's appointment as managing technical partner was officially announced in a press conference on September 10.

Alongside his appointment as managing technical partner, Newey will also take on the role of a shareholder in the team. The 65-year-old is poised to start this exciting new chapter with Aston Martin in March 2025, bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise.

Newey, the mastermind behind Red Bull's dominance in the ground effect era that started in 2022, was the most sought-after designer in Formula 1. His reputation soared after the Milton Keynes outfit clinched victory in 21 of the 22 Grands Prix last season.

Red Bull's former chief technical officer, Newey, set the Formula 1 rumor mill ablaze when he announced his departure in May but remained tight-lipped about his future plans. His visit to Aston Martin's AMR Technology Campus at Silverstone in June hinted at his likely destination. However, ongoing speculation about his discussions with Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, and Williams kept everyone guessing.

Speaking of Ferrari, Jordan confirmed that the Ferrari rumor was true, but Aston Martin's prospect in the hands of Lawrence Stroll, led by Fernando Alonso, seemed more promising. He said on the Formula for Success podcast:

“Of course, we had long conversations with Ferrari, but Aston Martin and Fernando were the ones who again gave what Adrian feels was, if you like, the juice to his challenges."

Jordan added that he wanted to shortlist a team for Newey that he could rate at par with Red Bull. He said:

"I wanted to see how I could get a team on par with Red Bull, from the top five to the top spot... And here we have a team that I think is now going to be on the move. It will be interesting and exciting to see how it develops.

“And I have to believe that in the future this has the opportunity and the success that will be achieved by someone like a privateer team like Aston Martin in the hands of Lawrence Stroll, run and controlled and engineered by Adrian Newey, has the most incredible opportunity to be one of the great teams of the great future.”

Despite the aero guru's 2025 joining, Aston Martin will only witness the impact of his work toward the end of the next season, or on the 2026 car, the year when Formula 1 enters a new era of regulations.