Ferrari’s two killer Adrian Newey questions and a ‘serious technical mistake’

Despite claims Ferrari have withdrawn from headhunting Adrian Newey, Fred Vasseur says it would be a “serious mistake” if they didn’t consider the design guru, but there are more questions to be answered than just his salary.

Newey announced back in May that he’d be leaving Red Bull within the first quarter of 2025, calling time on a career with the Milton Keynes squad that spans almost two decades and includes seven Drivers’ Championship titles, six Constructors’, and probably two more to come.

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His 13 confirmed titles with Red Bull are by no means his only successes as Newey sits on 25 in total, having also designed championship-winning cars for Williams and McLaren.

That puts him second behind Ferrari on the all-time championship list as the Scuderia have 31 titles in total, Newey has 25, McLaren have 20 and Mercedes 17 with Williams on 16.

He is, as to be expected, in hot demand.

But while almost everyone from Ferrari in second place in the Constructors’ Championship to Williams near the back have expressed an interest in signing the 65-year-old, Newey has made it clear he won’t be rushed into making a decision .

Said to be courted by Ferrari, Aston Martin and more recently McLaren as the three main protagonists for his signature, recent reports claim Ferrari have withdrawn from the running.

Vasseur, although not answering yay or nay to that, says every team has to give consideration to signing Newey but with a few caveats.

“It’s the same if I were asked: Are you interested in Max Verstappen?” he told Auto Motor und Sport . “I would like to see the team boss in the paddock who would answer no.

“It would be a serious mistake on my part if I didn’t think about Newey.

“The question is different: Does he fit into the team? And what does he bring to the team for the future?

“That’s not a sure thing. Sometimes one plus one doesn’t equal two, but two and a half. Newey is certainly an issue. Just as he is an issue for everyone.”

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Those caveats, which according to reports have seen Ferrari withdraw from the running, don’t only include the design guru’s salary but also the time he spends on the project.

While Newey reportedly wants more of a consultant role, Ferrari, having lost Enrico Cardile to Aston Martin, want a hands-on person.

Vasseur insists he’s happy with the people Ferrari have brought in since he took over as team boss in 2023.

“We’ve hired around 50 engineers from other teams since I’ve been here,” he said. “I could send out a press release every week and communicate the names. What would that achieve? I don’t like singling out individuals. The team is important.

“We only make exceptions when we fill positions within the team or when there are changes in prominent positions such as strategy, the sports director and the technical director.

“I think that’s a good tactic. It protects your employees and it treats everyone equally.”

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