Adrian Newey wants Lewis Hamilton F1 project in 'DREAM move'

Lewis Hamilton and Adrian Newey at Ferrari — Photo: © IMAGO

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EXCLUSIVE: Newey wants Hamilton F1 project in 'DREAM move'

Red Bull designer linked with Ferrari switch

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Wednesday 14 August 2024 09:13 Updated: 14:31

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Adrian Newey's wish to work with Lewis Hamilton has been revealed as the legandary Formula 1 designer weighs up his next move.

Newey's future is uncertain with his exit from Red Bull already confirmed from the start of 2025. The 65-year-old has been linked with moves to Ferrari and Aston Martin as a battle to land his expertise continues to be a key topic of interest in the sport.

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Having helped turn Williams, McLaren and Red Bull into huge front running teams during his career that has stretched well over three decades, Newey has developed many world championship winning cars.

The likes of Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Mika Hakkinen, Jacques Villeneuve, Damon Hill, Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell have all won world titles under Newey going back to 1992.

Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025

Max Verstappen is among Adrian Newey's world champions

Did Newey regret not working with Hamilton?

Despite a long and storied career, Newey has so far missed out on working with two of the sport's greatest drivers in Hamilton and Fernando Alonso - both of whom will line up next season at Ferrari and Aston Martin respectively.

Newey has shown interest in working with both in the past, but now former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley - who has worked with Hamilton, Newey and Alonso - has declared that Newey would love to team up with the seven-time world champion in what could be a lethal F1 partnership from 2025 onwards.

"They know each other well," Priestley exclusively told GPFans on behalf of OLBG.

"I think Lewis has total respect for anybody who is willing to put the kind of effort and detail in that Adrian will and Lewis is very similar.

"Lewis is one of the hardest working and detail orientated drivers that I've ever worked with. I think they're a match made in heaven, quite frankly, I think you know, Lewis would love to drive an Adrian Newey car, and I'm pretty sure he said this already, Adrian would love to design a car and work with Lewis so look, it's a dream.

"If it happens, it will be a coming together of two of the greatest powers in this sport. So what's not to love about that?"

Marc Priestley worked with Adrian Newey and Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari and Aston Martin are leading the hunt for Newey

Where is Adrian Newey in 2025?

However, recent reports have dampened the dreams of Hamilton and Newey teaming up, with Aston Martin emerging as front runners to land the designer who is expected to spend time away from F1 once he leaves Red Bull.

Newey's chances of joining Ferrari may also be hindered by his reluctance to move to Italy, having turned down multiple chances to work with the Scuderia during his career according to Priestley.

"I think in days gone by I mean, Adrian, if you believe the rumours, has had multiple contract offers from Ferrari and always turned them down," he added.

"He's always sort of... partly because he didn't want to move his family to Italy but partly because there's been a very politicised environment there which he didn't really fancy being part of."

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

View full biography

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari McLaren Formula 1