Adrian Newey is all set to embark on the latest [and possibly the final] chapter of his extraordinary career in Formula 1. The highly acclaimed aerodynamicist, known for his exceptional work at Red Bull Racing, will officially join Aston Martin Racing in March 2025, aiming to help Fernando Alonso secure his 3rd world championship title as early as 2026.
Amidst his highly anticipated arrival at the Silverstone-based outfit, let’s take a look at Newey’s life including his 37-year journey in the world-famous motorsport championship.
When and where was Adrian Newey born?
Adrian Newey was born to Richard and Edwina Newey on 26 December 1958 (66 years old) in Colchester, Essex, England. Both his parents were somehow associated with the medical field – his father was a veterinarian and his mother was an ambulance driver during World War II. However, Newey found his passion in the field of engineering and went on to gain his first-class honours degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1980.
Adrian Newey’s stats speak for themselves #F1 pic.twitter.com/WiVadINeOr
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 10, 2024
Soon after, Newey seized a golden opportunity in motorsport and enjoyed a brief stint as the race engineer for Johnny Cecotto in European Formula 2. Then, an opportunity emerged that would go on to change Newey’s life completely. The Briton designed his first-ever racing car for March, which went on to win two titles in the GTP series.
Having earned the much-needed recognition through March’s success story, Newey was offered a promotion to the Indy series in 1984. However, it wasn’t until 1988 that Newey designed his first-ever Formula 1 car.
What teams has Adrian Newey worked with?
Newey arrived at Formula 1 in style, designing a car for March that would end up challenging McLaren-Honda and other dominant teams. Following March’s transition to Leyton House Racing in 1990, Newey was promoted to the role of technical director.
However, Newey’s journey with March met with a bitter end and was fired from the job in the summer of 1990. Interestingly, it proved to be a blessing in disguise, as Williams, then a dominant outfit, went on to strike a deal with Newey. Only a year later, Newey won his first constructors championship in 1992.
The sheer dominance of Williams continued through 1994, making it a hat-trick of victories for the British outfit. However, Ayrton Senna’s fatal crash in 1994 would disrupt this dream run, including Newey’s relationship with Williams. Subsequently, with Newey forced into a dead-end by the management, he parted ways with Williams for rivals McLaren in 1997.
What followed was a successful nine-year stint at McLaren. During this phase, McLaren secured two back-to-back constructors’ titles in 1998 and 1999. In 2001, Newey nearly left the team for Jaguar in 2001, managed by his friend, Bobby Rahal. However, due to bitter internal politics at Ford, Niki Lauda’s influence and Ron Dennis’ convincing skills, Newey remained at McLaren until the end of 2005.
When did Newey join Red Bull Racing?
Despite being offered a contract extension through 2006, Newey decided to leave McLaren and join Red Bull Racing for the 2006 F1 season. The growth of Red Bull was evident, although they were far from joining the title contenders through the initial couple of years.
He’s designed many of the most successful F1 cars including the all-conquering RB19
This week on #F1BeyondTheGrid presented by Paramount+, Adrian Newey lifts the lid on his extraordinary career and his continuing passion for perfection #F1 @paramountplus
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 27, 2023
But, the year 2009 painted a different picture for Red Bull, led by Sebastian Vettel. Thanks to a handful of race victories and podiums, Red Bull secured P2 in the Constructors’ Championship, setting their sights on the big prize for the 2010 season. And rightfully so, Red Bull went on to create countless records over the next four years.
However, the glory days came to an end in 2014 with the arrival of V6 power units. Renault struggled to provide competitive engines for Red Bull, affecting the team’s overall performance. Meanwhile, Mercedes claimed the throne, forcing Red Bull to play catch-up until 2021.
Why is Adrian Newey leaving Red Bull?
Despite Red Bull’s active dominant spell, Newey decided to join Aston Martin for the 2025 campaign. Several reports suggested that Newey was displeased with the power struggle within the team caused by the trio of Christian Horner, Dr. Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen.
Meanwhile, Newey revealed that he was ‘tired’ after the prolonged journey with Red Bull, and desired a break from work. “There comes a point I think where I just felt, as Forrest Gump said, ‘a little bit tired’,” he told SkySports.
What is Newey’s salary in F1?
According to reports, Newey was earning a salary of £10 million at Red Bull Racing until the end of 2024. Following Newey’s team switch, SkySports reported that his salary would take a humongous leap to £20 million at Aston Martin. Furthermore, his five-year contract at Aston Martin could be worth up to £200 million including bonuses and add-ons, making Newey the highest-paid motorsport engineer in history.
Has Adrian Newey written a book?
Newey released his first and only book – How to Build a Car: The Autography of the World’s Greatest Formula 1 Designer – in 2017, offering readers a sneak peek into his astounding career in motorsport. He revealed that the book would be a “behind-the-scenes, insider’s look at the sport” as well as an overview of his work.
