Helmut Marko Finally Admits Effect Of Adrian Newey's Exit On Red Bull

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull pioneering engineer and Chief Technical officer Adrian Newey on the grid before the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko has admitted that the team's chief technical officer Adrian Newey's exit has delivered a significant blow as the team finds itself in a challenging situation with regard to its RB20 F1 car.

Newey has been responsible for Red Bull's dominance in the current ground effect era that began in 2022. Through his exceptional aerodynamic expertise, the team was able to destroy its competition, leading Max Verstappen to secure three consecutive world titles. In 2023, Red Bull secured victory in 21 out of 22 races, with Verstappen winning 19 of them.

However, the aero guru, who joined Red Bull in 2006, announced his resignation in May this year, followed by rumors of his talks with Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren, and Williams. Last month, Aston Martin confirmed Newey's appointment as its chief technical partner and shareholder.

The timeline of Newey's resignation and Red Bull's balance problem on its RB20 syncs to a good extent, but the team denied a connection between the two events. The car's issues worsened to the point where even Verstappen struggled to secure podium finishes, with his last victory coming eight races ago in Spain.

The situation became critical when a resurgent McLaren overtook Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship. Recent upgrades to the RB20 also fell short, leaving the team pinning its hopes on upcoming updates for the United States Grand Prix as its final chance to turn things around. Admitting that Newey's exit has impacted Red Bull, Marko told Motorsport Magazin:

"Adrian Newey is someone who is unique, outstanding, in the Formula 1 world. When you lose someone like that, it's a turning point.

"He was the only one besides Jonathan Wheatley who had world championship experience. [He knew] what was necessary.

"We have a lot of good young people and I am sure that they will compensate for this departure, but to say that this has had no effect on the team would be wrong.

"People need a certain amount of time to get used to it. Maybe that's one of the reasons, [together with] the wrong turns in the updates, that we don't have a winning car at the moment." [Translated by Google]

The season brought additional challenges for the team, starting with an internal investigation into team boss Christian Horner over alleged inappropriate behavior with a team member. This was followed by reports of internal power struggles and speculation about Marko’s potential exit, along with rumors surrounding Verstappen's future at Red Bull. The resignation of several senior staff members further compounded the situation, as the team now focuses on defending Verstappen’s bid for a fourth title.