Adrian Newey, a master designer, was introduced with much fanfare as the new Technical Director of Aston Martin on Tuesday. After nineteen years with Red Bull, he chose to take on a “new challenge” with the green racing team. According to former world champion Mika Häkkinen, Newey’s departure is a significant loss for Max Verstappen’s team. But just how influential is this British mastermind?
The two-time world champion, representing Unibet, analyzes the latest developments in Formula 1 and witnessed on Tuesday how Adrian Newey finally committed to Aston Martin. “Red Bull may claim that the technical team is larger than one man, but it’s clear that Newey has truly been a key leader over the past two decades,” writes Häkkinen. “It’s a significant loss for Red Bull.”
The Influence of Adrian Newey
The question is whether his departure is already affecting Red Bull’s performance. “Newey decided to leave the team after the GP in Japan, when the team scored its last one-two and also claimed pole position and the fastest lap,” continues Häkkinen. “Since then, Sergio Pérez has had a particularly difficult season and Max Verstappen’s last victory dates back to June, during the GP in Barcelona. It could be a coincidence that the performances are declining, but it is not inconceivable that a change in the technical staff has something to do with it.”
“While McLaren continues to close the gap with Red Bull in both championships, we have to wait and see whether the reigning world champion can solve the problems with the RB20,” concludes the former driver. “The next two races, in Baku and Singapore, will be very interesting. Although Ferrari scored a fantastic victory in Monza two weeks ago, McLaren is currently the most consistent team.”
