F1 | Ford: Newey’s exit does not change plans with Red Bull

Earlier this week, Red Bull announced that Adrian Newey will leave the F1 team after a two-decade spell at the technical helm of the Milton Keynes team, which yielded seven Drivers’ World Championships and six Constructors’ World Championships.

The news was received as a blow to Red Bull in the Miami F1 paddock, while the team itself downplayed the effect of the 65-year-old’s departure.

Red Bull has acknowledged Newey for the major contribution he has made to its success, but also insisted it has a succession plan in place under the guidance of technical director Pierre Wache to remain competitive until the 2026 regulatory change.

For 2026, Red Bull has brought its power unit development program within Red Bull Powertrains, while Ford has provided a financial and technical contribution as an official partner.

But when it was pointed out to him that Ford will be working with a weaker team than the one he initially signed with, Ford Performance director Mark Rushbrook insisted that Newey’s exit will in no way affect the brand commitment to Red Bull.

“We have huge respect for Adrian in terms of his career and all the things he has done for many teams in F1, especially over the last 19 years at Red Bull,” Rushbrook told Motorsport.com.

“There is nothing but admiration and respect for him and we wish him the best in whatever he does in the future. However, our focus remains on the power unit program for 2026. Since this news, the program has remained unchanged and continues to move forward at full speed.”

Rushbrook stressed that it is normal for both Red Bull and Ford to have succession plans in place, but the fact that Newey’s contract with Red Bull is set to expire in 2025 means that his presence from 2026 onwards was not never been guaranteed.

“Continuity was one of the first discussions I had with Christian Horner,” Rushbrook said. “The question I asked him was: ‘How will Red Bull continue to be successful in 2026 with new regulations?’”

“Like any good company or any good racing team, you always have a succession plan, and you always train and develop people within the organization. In this case it is no different. I absolutely mean no disrespect to Adrian, because It’s great, but every team has a succession plan.”

Rushbrook also said that Red Bull is still the best possible partner in F1 despite recent turmoil behind the scenes, caused by an internal power struggle between different factions that remains largely unresolved for now.

“To do something big in motorsport, we as Ford find the best teams to collaborate with. We believe we have found the best team in Formula 1,” he added.

“It’s all about cooperation, understanding the situation and being committed to doing what it takes to be successful. And that’s continuing with both sides.”