Red Bull chief designer and legendary Formula 1 figure Adrian Newey is due to leave the team after nearly two decades.
Newey joined Red Bull in their second year in the sport in 2006 and has been a stalwart for the team as he designed the cars that have won them seven drivers’ titles with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen and six constructors’ titles.
It had first been reported by German publication Auto Motor und Sport that Newey’s departure from Red Bull was imminent.
Now, according to BBC Sport, those rumours appear to be true, with his reasons being the ongoing situation surrounding team principal Christian Horner.
Adrian Newey has been with Red Bull since 2006The Christian Horner situation has left Newey unsettled
Newey to leave Red Bull over Horner situation
The 50-year-old has been at the centre of allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleague, which he has continued to deny.
Horner was cleared of any wrongdoing by the team after an internal investigation and his accuser was suspended on full pay, with the saga set to continue with fresh evidence due to be investigated.
According to sources close to both Red Bull and Newey, which have been verified by BBC Sport, the latter is unsettled by the situation involving Horner, which has created a ‘multi-faceted power struggle at Red Bull.’
Horner and Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko are reportedly in a dispute, as well as the team’s Thai main shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya, who backed Horner, and Red Bull GmbH, who initially wanted to remove Horner from his post.
Newey is under contract at Red Bull until 2025, but it is believed he can negotiate an exit that allows him to join another team from next season.
The 65-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to Ferrari and has recently been made an ambitious approach by Aston Martin.
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