Verstappen respects Newey's choice: 'Not dramatic' for Red Bull
03/05/2024 09:12
Max Verstappen says he respects Adrian Newey's decision to part ways with Red Bull but insists the designer's exit is "not as dramatic as it seems" for the championship winning squad.
Red Bull confirmed on Wednesday that Newey – the most successful designer in the history of F1 – would leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit in early 2025 after a 19-year tenure with the team.
Many believe that the 65-year-old's retreat will have a heavy impact on Red Bull, not to mention that it could also significantly bolster the ranks of a rival F1 outfit should the Briton opt to remain in the sport.
Verstappen admitted that he would have obviously preferred to see Newey remain with Red Bull but the Dutchman ultimately respects the designer's choice, insisting that he made no personal attempt to convince him to stay.
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"I don't need to convince anyone, because at the end of the day, if someone really wants to leave, they should leave," Verstappen explained on Thursday in Miami
"That's also what I wrote to him. If you think that is the right decision for yourself and your family, or you seek a different challenge, or whatever, you have to do it.
"F1 is a shark tank, everyone thinks about themselves at the end of the day. I know that, I'm not stupid. So that's fine."
For several seasons now, Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache has supervised the design of Red Bull's winning machines, with aero chief Enrico Balbo, chief designer Craig Skinner, head of performance engineering Ben Waterhouse and chief of car engineering Paul Monaghan executing their respective programmes within the technical department's holistic process.
Over time, Newey has acted as a super consultant to the group, supplying his ideas and especially his deep understanding of aerodynamics, as well as swift and efficient solutions to potential longer-term issues.
"Of course I would have preferred him to stay, for sure, because you can always rely on his experience and just as a person he is a great guy to chat to and relate to," Verstappen added.
"He is very bright and smart but he would also talk to the driver and interpret that into the car, in terms he would try to imagine himself driving.
"But I also really trust that the technical team we have outside of Adrian is really strong. They have shown that for the last few years how competitive the car is.
"From the outside it looks very dramatic, but if you know what is happening inside the team it is not as dramatic as it seems."
The confirmation this week of Newey's exit triggered another whirlwind of speculation regarding Verstappen's future.
The Dutchman is theoretically contracted to Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season. But its is believed that the three-time world champion's agreement includes a clause that could allow him to jump ship before the expiration of his deal in the event of the departure from the team of certain high-profile senior members.
Asked whether losing Newey would have an impact on his future, Verstappen said: "Not at the moment."
"It is always very important to remain calm and focused on your job, know who you're working with, feel comfortable.
"At the end of the day, we need to have the fastest car. That's what I always demanded, that's what we finally got for a couple of years now. And we have a very strong technical team that are part of the team for a long time. It goes on like it was going before."
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