Aston Martin reportedly want to take advantage of the unrest at Red Bull by poaching their legendary designer.
Despite their domination of the sport over the last three years, F1’s champion team has been in a state of turmoil in recent months. Christian Horner’s alleged inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague led to an internal investigation by Red Bull’s parent company.
Horner was subsequently cleared of wrongdoing, only for a batch of messages, purportedly between Horner and the complainant, to be anonymously leaked to the F1 world and media. The saga also laid bare an ongoing power struggle within the Red Bull hierarchy.
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FanaticsWith Horner remaining in situ for now, it has raised question marks over the futures of other key players in the team, including world champion Max Verstappen and Adrian Newey, the design genius behind Red Bull’s dominant cars of recent years.
Verstappen has been linked with Mercedes while Newey, 65, is said to be wanted by Aston Martin, whose billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll has grand ambitions for the Silverstone-based team.
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According to Autosport, Stroll made a “big-money contract offer” to Newey during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend. Stroll, whose son Lance Stroll drives for the team alongside double world champion Fernando Alonso, has already recruited a number of technical boffins from rivals.
Aston Martin will also have Honda engines from the start of 2026, when a brand new set of regulations will be implemented. Honda have powered Verstappen to his three titles, and probable fourth this season.
If Newey is lured away from Red Bull, it would raise further questions over Verstappen’s future. The Dutchman has already been linked with Mercedes and the upwardly mobile Aston team would be another attractive proposition, especially if Newey defects.
Newey’s arrival could also help persuade Alonso, whose contracts ends this year, to commit to the team. The Spaniard has been linked with Mercedes and Red Bull recently.
