A promotion that appeared to be an unequivocal sign of esteem, certainly not an interim position. As a direct consequence of the chaos at Red Bull, due to the internal investigation that placed Christian Horner in the defendant’s seat, and for other technical reasons, Adrian Newey, at the start of last season, decided to leave the Milton Keynes team. From that moment, rumors intensified about the supposed arrival of the legendary car designer at the Italian team. This was part of a long-standing courtship, during which Adrian Newey had been very close to joining the historic Maranello-based team.

Enrico Cardile’s departure seemed to reinforce the possibility of the British designer joining Ferrari, given that the Italian manager had already been announced by Aston Martin as a new reinforcement, and Ferrari appeared willing to go to great lengths to secure the undisputed aerodynamics genius. When it was officially confirmed that Adrian Newey was also heading to the British team, it became clear that Enrico Cardile’s resignation was not due to a potential demotion following Adrian Newey’s arrival at the Prancing Horse.

A few days ago, the mastermind of car design officially began his adventure with Aston Martin, where he will primarily focus on the 2026 Formula 1 project, though he will also lend a hand—something that appears to be much needed—in improving the performance of the AMR25 single-seater for the upcoming championship. This F1 car did not perform as expected during the pre-season testing session at the Bahrain circuit last week. Meanwhile, a sort of oblivion had surrounded the former technical director of the team based in Maranello for several months. A silence that could not last forever and had already been raising significant suspicions for some time.

In recent days, it has emerged that Ferrari has blocked the Italian aerodynamicist’s move, relying on its legal team. The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Modena ruled in favor of the Italian side, ordering Enrico Cardile to cease any form of collaboration with Aston Martin until July 18. The ruling states: “The former employee was already violating the non-compete commitment undertaken in favor of Ferrari, whose purpose was to prevent other teams from hiring Enrico Cardile earlier than allowed and gaining an unjustified competitive advantage, causing irreparable damage to the Italian team.”

Essentially, according to the Modena Prosecutor’s Office, Enrico Cardile allegedly violated what is commonly known as the gardening leave period. The case raises several questions. Gardening leave can last up to 12 months depending on the position held by the employee. Is it possible that a team of Aston Martin’s caliber was unaware of the “leave” period of one of its future top figures? This is a team that, in the past, won a legal battle against Red Bull regarding the hiring of Dan Fallows. And the court’s ruling is, quite clearly, of enormous significance.

The former Ferrari technical director would have worked for a competitor when, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, he was not allowed to do so, thus breaching the non-compete commitment made to Ferrari. Moreover, how was the alleged violation by the Italian engineer verified? The gardening leave period is a controversial measure designed to prevent the immediate transfer of knowledge from one person to another team. However, it is hard to believe that a highly regarded professional like the former Italian technical director would have disregarded his commitments to his former team, openly working for his new employer.

All of this in blatant disregard of precise deadlines set when he ended his employment with the Maranello team. Based on the information available to us, the legal dispute between Ferrari and its former technical director has been ongoing for a long time. And the real reasons may concern a possible and hypothetical exchange of information, rather than what has surfaced in recent weeks. Legal action is rarely taken merely for failing to comply with a leave period. Moreover, Lawrence Stroll’s alleged resentment would seem misplaced, given that the gardening leave period should have been known as early as last July.

As a result of the court’s decision, Enrico Cardile will only be able to start his role at Aston Martin from next July, irreparably compromising his contribution to the next technical project. In this context, the official welcome given to the Italian engineer as a key figure in the development of the revolutionary 2026 Formula 1 cars for next season appears to be, at the very least, incorrect. At this level, misunderstandings about the timing of gardening leave seem truly absurd and highly implausible. We await further developments in this case.

— see video above —

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It was one of the main storylines that marked the pace of the 2024 season. Months passed between Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull and the announcement of his move to Aston Martin, filled with rumors, negotiations, and reflections that led the Englishman to join Lawrence Stroll’s project, at the expense of opportunities with Ferrari, McLaren, or Williams.

The 66-year-old from Colchester spoke to the German publication AMuS, revealing some of the reasons that led him to Aston Martin. As Adrian Newey himself recounts, “If 12 months ago I had been asked if I would leave Red Bull and start fresh with another team, I would have said ‘no, you’re crazy’.”

For the English engineer, leaving Milton Keynes was “the first difficult decision to make.” Then came discussions with his wife to decide together what steps to take: “With Mandy, we talked about various things. I’m fortunate not to have any particular financial needs; I could have simply retired and rested, or devoted myself completely to something else… but I would have gotten bored.”

Over the months, several teams – as was to be expected – expressed interest in the English “genius.” Ferrari seemed very close to Newey on several occasions, but McLaren and Williams also represented real possibilities.

Adrian Newey, the “yes” to Lawrence Stroll for an “old school” reason
No Maranello, nor Woking or Grove. The spark in Adrian Newey’s heart was lit by Lawrence Stroll’s green Aston Martin. “Lawrence’s passion, commitment, and enthusiasm are truly captivating and persuasive,” admitted the English engineer.

It was precisely the charisma of the Canadian manager that convinced the former key figure of Red Bull. For Adrian Newey, Aston Martin and the fiery personality of Stroll senior represent a romantic and decisive factor.

“If we go back 20 years, those we now call team principals were actually the team owners,” explained Newey, citing examples like Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, and Eddie Jordan. “In the modern era, Lawrence’s figure is quite unique. He is the only team owner so active, and working with such a figure, I believe, gives a particular feeling.”

“It feels like going back to the ‘old school’ model. Also, having the chance to be a shareholder is something that has never happened to me before,” an enthusiastic Newey continued. “It was a bit of a different choice, but I can’t wait to start. It was a natural decision to make.”

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Guenther Steiner, former Haas team principal, spoke about Adrian Newey and his decision to join the Aston Martin project starting in 2025.

Guenther Steiner’s comments
Here’s what the Italian had to say on the *Beyond The Grid* podcast: “[Newey] can’t make the difference on his own, but he can bring other people with him.”

“He will definitely have a lot of people around him who will be able to work well. Lawrence Stroll [team owner] has invested heavily in infrastructure, including a new wind tunnel…” – the Italian and American motorsport engineer and former team manager – “Adrian is obviously the ‘guru’ of Formula 1 cars, he was available on the market, and Lawrence hired him. Newey knows what needs to be done to reach the goal,” Guenther Steiner concluded.

And what do you think? Do you agree with the former Haas team principal’s words? Would you have liked to see Adrian Newey at Scuderia Ferrari? Let us know with a comment.

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The English lion, who won his first and only title in the top class thanks to the Williams FW14B, one of the most successful cars designed by the British engineer, believes Aston Martin made a fantastic deal in acquiring him, while the Maranello team will soon find itself regretting its choice.

“The fact that he went to Aston Martin was very smart on his part because he won’t get involved in Ferrari’s politics and the publicity that comes with it,” the former driver stated in a recent interview with Top Offshore Sportsbooks.

“I think Ferrari should lick its wounds a bit because they should have hired him, but of course, all the credit goes to Aston Martin. As soon as I heard that Ferrari opposed the possible salary figure requested by Adrian, I realized it was a lack of foresight on their part. They missed an opportunity because anyone who hires Adrian Newey is almost guaranteed a couple of fantastic years.” – he pointed out.

This view, however, contrasts with the belief of Frederic Vasseur, who argues that the team collective always comes before the individual, even if that individual has a staggering 25 titles between drivers and constructors.

“Adrian Newey? There have been discussions, yes,” the Frenchman said to L’Equipe a few weeks ago. “His ideas were probably different from those I had in mind for him. Maybe one day we will find common ground, but as I said, it’s not a single person who changes a team’s results. The group is always stronger than the individual.” – the former Formula 1 driver continued.

With Enrico Cardile also moving to Aston Martin, it will be Loic Serra’s responsibility to drive the development of the 2025 Formula 1 project and especially 2026, assisted by Fabio Montecchi on Chassis Project Engineering and Diego Tondi on aerodynamics.

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These changes have also affected the role of technical director, along with the heads of various departments within the racing division. Over these more than fifteen years, Ferrari has “never made a mark,” to use a football metaphor. Red Bull, for instance, endured seven seasons without a victory. We are talking about Mercedes’ dominance, where the Milton Keynes team made no alterations. Christian Horner has always maintained his position, just like Adrian Newey. Both figures have never been questioned, not even for a moment.

The Brackley-based team has also not won since 2021, yet Toto Wolff continues to lead the team without any doubts from the German management about his capabilities as a manager. This is despite significant errors made by Mercedes with the current regulatory framework, where several projects have turned out to be quite unsuccessful. This discussion aims to emphasize the necessity of creating a sense of teamwork—a cohesion essential for forming a squad capable of competing at the pinnacle of F1 to win.

Leo Turrini believes that Ferrari can achieve this ideal spirit, the so-called “collective strength,” which must be attained through a degree of stability. This continuity is necessary to build a program from the ground up with solid foundations on which to base technical and sporting strategies. Leo Turrini points out that he often has the pleasure of discussing matters with the Ferrari ownership, during which he “suggests” making the right decisions to manage the racing department, but simultaneously allowing enough time for those decisions to take effect. Trust is required, without constantly questioning their decisions.

The football approach doesn’t work in the racing world. “Let’s change the coach to shake things up” is a logic that is irrelevant within a team that operates in the paddock. The highest category of motorsport is primarily about technology. Despite this reasoning being extremely unpopular, especially in the Italian context—at a time when F1 is attracting a younger audience thanks to Liberty Media’s efforts to modernize the fanbase—Turrini believes that constant changes lead to no positive outcomes. On the contrary, they only cause harm.

The choices regarding individuals tasked with determining the fate of the team must be appropriate. However, it is equally important to allow time for the results of their work to materialize. Of course, if the anticipated outcomes are not achieved within the expected timeframe, it is reasonable to move on from their services. But until then, maximum support must be provided. Changing five team principals within a few years is not the right approach. Leo lists the names: starting with Stefano Domenicali, who lost World Championships by just 7 points, only to be treated like a “war criminal.”

The competitive context has not repeated itself since Stefano was dismissed; Ferrari has not fought for a title in the final race of the season ever since. His replacement was a “Bulgarian wanderer,” Marco Mattiacci, who, during his four-month tenure, demonstrated to the world his unsuitability for the role. Then came “the guy who sold cigarettes,” Arrivabene, followed by an engine specialist, Mattia Binotto, with whom we know well the embarrassing moments endured. Finally, we arrive at Frederic Vasseur, the “country priest” from France who currently occupies the leadership seat.

This whirlwind of changes has yielded no positive results. Leo Turrini reflects on McLaren, currently leading the Constructors’ Championship, and mentions Andrea Stella. The former track engineer for Ferrari moved to Woking ten years ago. During this time, the historic British team has won just one Grand Prix, at Monza, thanks to Daniel Ricciardo, who capitalized on a unique situation to cross the finish line first. The engineer from Orvieto has never faced scrutiny until he became team principal of a squad that now dominates the technical landscape of F1.

Andrea Stella serves as a perfect example because, under his leadership, mistakes have indeed occurred in the current 2024 season. Consider that, despite the MCL38 being the fastest car on the grid, the drivers’ championship is still firmly in the hands of Dutchman Max Verstappen. In the Constructors’ Championship, although McLaren remains competitive, they only overtook Red Bull three weeks ago at the Baku Grand Prix. This illustrates why the football logic of “wanting to change mid-course” in F1 is completely misguided. Finally, Leo Turrini poses a question regarding Adrian Newey.

The question concerns the reasons why the genius from Stratford-Upon-Avon chose to stay in the UK and accept the temptations from Lawrence Stroll. “In your opinion,” Leo asks, “did the fact that Ferrari has changed five team principals in three decades influence the decisions of the brilliant British designer?” Adrian has asked himself various questions. For instance, why was an excellent technician like James Allison “discarded” by Ferrari without much concern? Newey has amassed a plethora of championships, thanks to his contributions at Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull.

What could have been the best conclusion to his illustrious career? Joining Ferrari and achieving an objective that has been elusive for far too long. According to Leo Turrini, Adrian didn’t come to Maranello because he lacked trust in the historic Italian team. This is not a distrust towards president John Elkann; he simply did not see the right environment to work effectively. Observing the recent past of the Italian team, he recognized that the conditions to build a successful and effective team were absent.

This is a fact that should prompt the Italian team’s management to consider a crucial aspect: creating the right conditions for those in charge of managing the Prancing Horse racing team to express their abilities and talents. Only then will the team’s goals be achievable. Otherwise, as has tragically happened for quite some time now, regardless of the caliber of the individuals working within the sports management, Ferrari will continue to “calmly” lose each season.

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The Adrian Newey saga filled the newspapers for months. First, there was Ferrari, then Aston Martin appeared, followed, in no particular order, by Williams, Mercedes, and McLaren. According to paddock rumors, almost every team on the grid had discussions with the British engineer. Nothing surprising, given the prestigious track record of the former Red Bull engineer.

While Lawrence Stroll’s team is most likely the one that made the highest offer to Adrian Newey, the reasons that led the rivals to back off are varied. However, Ferrari and Mercedes provide one reason in particular: confidence in their own staff and the desire not to upset the internal balance of their technical departments by bringing in a name of immeasurable weight.

“I believe all the teams thought about it,” explained Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes. “James [Allison, Mercedes technical director] and I discussed it, we compared notes, and we came to the conclusion that the structure we have today is the one we believe in and want to continue with. We let it go because we believe in our team.” – the Mercedes boss added.

The Austrian congratulated Aston Martin for the strength of their technical and managerial departments. In the near future, they will almost certainly be competitive, but according to Toto Wolff, this will be a good thing: “The more teams are competitive at the top, and if you look at today’s race from a fan’s perspective, the better it will be.” – he concluded.

Source: f1ingenerale

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An attempt was made to quickly initiate a revolution at Enstone. Italian businessman Flavio Briatore, now an Alpine executive consultant, sought to shake up the team immediately. With Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey on the market, the Italian manager tried for a double signing that would have certainly rocked the F1 world. However, the outcome was negative on both fronts.

“We already have good and fast drivers, the problem is the car,” he said in a recent interview for the Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’m not someone who buys drivers; I always like them to grow within the team, as I did with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. I think and hope that Doohan can give us guarantees in 2025. I tried to sign Carlos Sainz and Adrian Newey, but the negotiations didn’t go well.”

The technical challenge is certainly complex. There is the Power Unit issue, with the French team in discussions with both Viry-Chatillon engineers and Mercedes to find a decisive but perhaps not drastic solution. But it is the car as a whole that disappoints Flavio Briatore. However, the budget provided by Renault should be enough to turn the team’s fortunes around.

“I’m more focused on teamwork,” explains the manager. “One evening I went to the factory and saw about 80 people working; that had never happened before. I’ve always won titles with a budget 30% less than my rivals, and I haven’t forgotten the magic formula. Now I’ve put the headphones back on to listen to the guys in the workshop, and I’m ready to make Alpine great again.” – he concluded.

Source: f1ingenerale

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Everyone’s talking about Adrian Newey

The official announcement of legendary car designer Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin is understandably one of the main topics of discussion in the paddock at the Baku City Circuit, the venue for the upcoming round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

There have been questions posed to Ferrari’s current and future drivers (including Lewis Hamilton) regarding the negotiations between Ferrari and the English designer that ultimately did not come to fruition.

Charles Leclerc has confidence
Charles Leclerc didn’t shy away from addressing the topic of Adrian Newey with journalists during the press conference which took place on Thursday: “No disappointment. I know we spoke with Adrian, but then he made his decision, and I respect that. He thought Aston Martin was the better choice, but for me, Ferrari remains number one. It’s a shame about Adrian, but I believe much more in the group than in a single person.” – the Monegasque driver explained.

Charles Leclerc, fresh off a brilliant win in the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit in front of the Tifosi, also offered words of encouragement for the Maranello team: “We have so many super talented people in Maranello, and I’m sure this is a winning team. Fred is doing an outstanding job, building a great team for the coming years, and we’ll do everything to show Adrian Newey that he was wrong not to come to Ferrari,” Charles Leclerc concluded with a smile in an interview to Sky Italia ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend in Baku.

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The aerodynamics genius has made his decision—his future will be at Silverstone. On the eve of the Baku weekend, one of the most exhausting sagas of recent years came to a close: Adrian Newey signs with Aston Martin, choosing to pass up Ferrari and its two drivers. The most successful engineer ever will not be working with the most successful driver ever.

The potential partnership between the British engineer and Lewis Hamilton had sparked the imagination of fans and experts alike. The pairing seemed like the perfect culmination of their careers, something practically “written in the stars.” However, this time, the stars did not align. Does this disappoint the seven-time World Champion?

“Honestly, I’m not disappointed,” Lewis Hamilton promptly responds when asked about the matter during Thursday’s press conference ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“While I’ve said before that it would be an honor to work with Adrian Newey, I’ve had the privilege of working with two championship-winning teams that didn’t have him on board.” – the seven-time Formula One world champion explained.

“I think any team would have been happy to have him,” the Briton continues. “But at the end of the day, he is just one individual and he had to do what was best for him. For me, nothing changes—it doesn’t change my goal, my focus, or my next move. So, I’m still 100% convinced we can achieve a lot [at Ferrari]. The thing that excites me the most is working with an entire team of passionate people who haven’t won a championship in a long time. It’s fantastic to join them and try to embark on that journey together. ” – the future driver of the Maranello team concluded.

Source: f1ingenerale

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No Regrets

Legendary F1 car designer Adrian Newey to Ferrari, a move that wasn’t meant to happen. After being linked for months to a possible transfer to Maranello, the English genius chose to accept the substantial offer, both financial and in terms of project, from Lawrence Stroll. Aston Martin is now aiming for 2026 to line up as one of the big favorites for the Formula One title, with an incredibly strong technical staff.

Many industry insiders have already spoken about Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin, including Charles Leclerc, who, when asked about the matter ahead of the Baku weekend in Azerbaijan, couldn’t avoid the inevitable question.

“Let’s say I’m not disappointed,” the Monegasque told Sky Sports. “I’d be disappointed if we hadn’t tried or hadn’t spoken to Adrian.” – the Ferrari driver pointed out.

“We talked with Adrian as a team. In the end, he made his choice, and I completely respect his decision to go elsewhere. At Ferrari, we’ve always valued the group more than any individual.” – the Monegasque driver continued.

“Of course, Adrian Newey is Adrian Newey, and he’s incredible for everything he’s achieved, but there are incredible people at Ferrari. I believe in the group. I’m sure we have the right team to get back to the top.”

Finally, Charles Leclerc added: “I respect Adrian’s decision. He’ll be working alongside one of his favorite drivers, Fernando Alonso. I wish him the best, but I hope Ferrari makes its mark.”

Source: f1ingenerale

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