May 1 (GMM) Adrian Newey looks set to really leave Red Bull, with an announcement said to be imminent.
La Gazzetta dello Sport’s Luigi Perna writes that Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur “did not travel with the team to Miami” mid this week.
“Instead he flew to London,” the journalist claimed. “The reason? To meet with Adrian Newey, perhaps to conclude the agreement that has been whispered about for some time”.
Indeed, it is believed Red Bull’s renowned design guru has been engaged in negotiations with his current team to find a way out of his 2025 contract – so that he’s not locked into a long period of ‘gardening leave’.
It is said that a termination agreement has now been reached, paving the way for an announcement that looks likely to be announced within the next few days.
One source believes Red Bull will wait for May 2 – so the seismic news does not clash with the 30-year anniversary of Ayrton Senna’s 1994 death.
Mercedes’ Toto Wolff sounds resigned that Newey will not end up at Brackley.
“A lot of people are speculating about what he (Newey) will ultimately do,” Wolff said at a promotional event in New York on Tuesday.
“I look at it as a fan and watch what happens.”
Red Bull is clearly not ready to give anything away quite yet, with a spokesperson telling the Italian magazine Autosprint: “No comment to make at this time.”
Another layer to the current unrest surrounding Newey and Red Bull are reports that Max Verstappen and his entourage will meet with Mercedes’ top brass after Miami to discuss a potential 2026 team change for the triple world champion.
“There are contracts that he and Red Bull must adhere to,” Dutch GP boss Jan Lammers told F1Maximaal.
“In principle, he is under contract until 2028, and I see no reason yet why he would want to have it terminated early.”
Wolff, for his part, is pushing back against the reports of his looming meeting with the Verstappen camp.
“This is one of the rumours,” he acknowledged. “People make up stories about what goes on behind the scenes with drivers, but these things should stay behind closed doors.”