F1 News: Mercedes Considering Adrian Newey - These Are The Conditions

Saajan Jogia | Jul 7, 2024

Adrian Newey / Red Bull Content Pool

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff revealed that Mercedes would be glad to have Red Bull's technical head Adrian Newey on board the team, but only if he is strongly motivated to be a part of the Brackley outfit.

With Newey’s Red Bull contract set to expire in early 2025, several Formula 1 teams, including Aston Martin and Ferrari, are vying for the chance to bring the renowned aero guru into their garage. As the mastermind behind Red Bull’s dominant ground effect era, Newey’s innovative designs have driven the team’s unparalleled success and made him one of the most coveted figures in the paddock.

However, Newey might have other plans for his future, and thus, he has taken the time until the end of the current season to decide if he wants to continue being a part of Formula 1 full-time or chase other endeavors that excite him.

Mercedes has weighed in on Adrian Newey’s future, with Wolff acknowledging that no team would refuse the chance to collaborate with the esteemed aero designer. However, Wolff stressed that Newey’s interest and motivation to join his team are what truly matter.

When asked by Sky F1 if he would be open to having Adrian Newey at Mercedes, Wolff said:

“I think no team can discard Adrian, but he needs to fit into the organisation and he needs to want it.”

However, with Red Bull riding the cloud of diminishing returns where the F1 grid gets tighter by the week, Wolff clarified that the team wasn't looking for a messiah to turn things around.

The statement from the Mercedes team boss comes at a time when his team has been experiencing a performance boost with the W15. This improvement has allowed drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to challenge Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari at the front, signaling a strong resurgence for the Silver Arrows. Wolff added:

“I think you’ve always got to look at opportunities.

“But it’s not like that today we wait for a messiah.”

Despite Mercedes' interest in Adrian Newey, Wolff's comments reveal confidence in the team's ability to succeed independently. Wolff acknowledged Newey's expertise but hinted that Mercedes can achieve the technical advancements it has been striving for since the start of the ground effect era in 2022, on its own.