F1 car designer Adrian Newey is leaving Red Bull next year and the world will closely watch Max Verstappen to see how the Dutchman reacts to news of the 65-year-old’s exit
Ralf Schumacher is “certain” that Max Verstappen will want to leave Red Bull now that Adrian Newey is headed for the exit door.
Red Bull has been in turmoil for months with team principal Christian Horner at the centre of a civil war which has engulfed the Formula 1 champions. And the unrest is believed to be a major reason why car designer Newey has decided to walk away.
Verstappen had committed to seeing out his contract, which runs until 2028, despite all the noise. But now that Newey’s impending departure has been confirmed, former F1 driver Schumacher thinks the Dutchman’s stance will change.
The Sky Germany pundit said: “I also think he has other options. In the paddock, you already hear stories about him talking to others. The question is whether it will happen next year or the year after, but for me it is certain that he wants to leave.”
Schumacher also thinks Verstappen may not be the only one who wants out and thinks Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in 2022, would be upset with the situation. He added: “Engineers are leaving who want to go somewhere else together with Adrian Newey.
“The team spirit is no longer what Dietrich Mateschitz would have wanted. What is happening now is really a shame and sad. It is very disappointing that it is now falling apart because of people who were given the opportunity by Mateschitz, while at the core they were just employees It’s unbelievable. I have no words for it.”
Johnny Herbert, another former F1 driver, agrees that Mateschitz would have such a reaction to his team’s current state. The Briton told FPOC: “Dietrich Mateschitz would be utterly devastated that people he put into the big positions, who he trusted to make the team function, have allowed this to happen.
