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Adrian Newey's departure from Red Bull has sparked a range of reactions. Although many did not anticipate that the 65-year-old engineer would leave Red Bull to join Aston Martin, the situation evolved quickly. The experienced engineer decided to change his plans, leading to significant shifts in the Formula 1 landscape.
Adrian Newey, the famous British Formula 1 engineer, recently gave an in-depth interview where he discussed several hot topics in the sport. One of the key points he touched on was the coverage of Formula 1 on Sky Sports, which he criticized for being "nationalistic."
Newey pointed out that Sky Sports has often portrayed drivers like Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel in a negative light, almost as if they were villains. He believes that this kind of biased reporting isn't fair and can influence how people view these drivers.
According to Newey, Sky Sports' large global audience means that their portrayal of events and drivers has a significant impact. However, their coverage often seems to favor British perspectives, which can skew public opinion and create an unfair narrative around non-British drivers.
Adrian Newey stresses that Max Verstappen, a triple world champion, is often underestimated by many Formula 1 fans. He compares Verstappen's skills to those of Fernando Alonso, with whom he will now be working at Aston Martin.
Newey explains that Verstappen’s driving seems almost automatic, though he acknowledges that this isn't entirely accurate. Verstappen has such a high level of skill and awareness that he can simultaneously think about various aspects of the race, like how to manage his tires, what adjustments might be needed, or seek advice from his race engineer while discussing any issues he’s facing.
Newey is impressed by Verstappen’s ability to read and understand the race as it unfolds, a skill he also attributes to Alonso. Both drivers have a great knack for interpreting the race dynamics without relying on the same detailed information that others might have.
Adrian Newey on the 2021 season
Mercedes had an outstanding season, and all signs pointed to them winning another championship. However, this didn’t come to pass, as Max Verstappen performed remarkable feats at Red Bull. Verstappen achieved what the Red Bull leadership had been eagerly awaiting for a long time.
Adrian Newey recently looked back on the 2021 Formula 1 season, reflecting on key moments like the Silverstone crash and Mercedes’ impressive performance improvements later in the year. He had his own ideas about why Mercedes gained such an advantage, but felt the FIA didn’t investigate these issues thoroughly. His experience has always played an important role. His experience has always played an important role.
Newey recalled that after the Silverstone incident, the intensity of the season escalated. Verstappen, who had been comfortably leading the championship, had a clear view of what had happened at Silverstone. Following that race and the incident in Hungary where Valtteri Bottas accidentally knocked him out, the pressure on Verstappen started to build up as he struggled to score points.
He stated that Mercedes found a lot of extra speed as the season went on, and it’s always easier to chase than to lead. Verstappen felt the weight of that pressure, and Newey thought Verstappen was lucky not to be penalized in Brazil, although the situation in Saudi Arabia was less straightforward. Many things did not go in favor of the Austrian team, but they fought until the last moment.
Newey described the 2021 championship as particularly messy off the track. He thought this was partly due to Mercedes’ tactics and the FIA’s reluctance to properly investigate the issues, which he found quite frustrating.
He also pointed out that as Verstappen felt more pressure, his teammate Sergio Pérez started to close in on him, similar to how Fernando Alonso felt pressure in 2010 when Felipe Massa began to catch up. Pressure tends to affect drivers’ performance.
Regarding the Silverstone incident, Newey originally believed Hamilton’s move was a deliberate foul. Looking back, he now thinks that Hamilton and Verstappen had been making contact throughout the lap, and Hamilton might have misjudged his move, leading to the crash.
The biggest achievement for the Red Bull leadership was winning the championship and putting an end to all doubts. After their victory in Abu Dhabi, the team experienced phenomenal progress, with Red Bull showing consistent growth and improvement week after week.
This season also looks promising, although recent races have sparked some pessimism among Red Bull fans. It will be interesting to see whether Max Verstappen can maintain his lead until the end of the season or if someone else will dethrone him. Lando Norris currently seems like a strong contender, but it’s still too early to make any definitive predictions.
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