If there’s even a sniff of a chance (and there’s got to be) that he’s joining another team then RB really have to put him on gardening leave. So even mid-life upgrades might not fall under him for much of the season.

Max’s loyalty to RB is also now being severely tested. We might just find out what sort of exit clauses he has too

I feels to good to be true to me! It’s probably his plan right now, but we may see Horner given the boot over the next few days and Newey staying at Red Bull instead

I’d like to see him go to Ferrari.

Not sure I believe the story tho

[Edit] I didn’t realize the BBC were reporting it as a done deal…in which case, I’m more inclined to believe it.  That will really piss off the Verstappens…

Here’s my new rumour….Newey and Max off to Aston Martin 😂

Think i enjoy this kind of thing more than the racing lol

Imagine he goes to Ferrari, in some kind of 5D chess power play from Lewis 😀

Wonder how Horny Horner feels knowing that declaring his love of coco pops may have imploded the team

Think i enjoy this kind of thing more than the racing lol

Me too…tho that’s not saying much this season 😂

Here’s my new rumour….Newey and Max off to Aston Martin 😂

Max and Alonso together – that would be worth seeing!! 🙂

Wonder how Horny Horner feels knowing that declaring his love of coco pops may have imploded the team

If Newey does walk, and blames Horner (or the things he’s done) as directly responsible for the decision, that’s the end of Horner as team principle, surely?

If Newey does walk, and blames Horner (or the things he’s done) as directly responsible for the decision, that’s the end of Horner as team principle, surely

I would pay quite a few pounds to see Horner being told he’s lost Newey and Max

The Netflix script writers must be wetting themselves in anticipation of next season’s show….

Imagine he goes to Ferrari, in some kind of 5D chess power play from Lewis 😀

That’s much more like an Alonso power play…

That’s much more like an Alonso power play…

Alonso normally manages to do the opposite, doesn’t he?

OK, I stand corrected the on AMuS!

How many more dominoes will fall as a result of the Horner allegations? And I really hope they get Horner and Newey for the Miami pre event press conference

Crumbs. Fetch the popcorn and the betting slips!

It’s got to be Ferrari or Aston, hasn’t it? Assuming he’ll stay in F1? I know in the past he’s said he’s not as fussed about ticking the Ferrari box as some people, but at least there driver line up isn’t as compromised as Aston Martin, and at some point even Lawrence Stroll’s gonna realise that his son is a very unlikely world champ and pull out, taking his money bags with him. On the other hand, Newey might want to stay in the UK?

All the teams would give their right arm and a few organs to sign Newey, only a couple could could afford him.

@Bez

Full Member

Crumbs. Fetch the popcorn and the betting slips!

Lol, I see Bez has edited out his predictions so no one can laugh at him later! 😉

Lol, I see Bez has edited out his predictions so no one can laugh at him later! 😉

That’s a shame!

Given the recent Verstappen / Mercedes stories, would Newey be a target for the dream team?

Absolutely he would – no team wouldn’t want him. It’s about which team, if any, can offer him what he wants.

I’ve just been out for a quiet pint.  Slow news day in F1 is it?

It’s like an old Coronation St episode with all the gossip and assumptions going on here, Hilda Baker and Elsie Tanner hanging out their washing

I’m looking forward to Spa in a few months not bothered one way or another who wins as long as the rain stays off

It’s about which team, if any, can offer him what he wants. – THIS.

Work out what he wants. Money isn’t really an issue so what else? He has a reasonable track record with designing cars so he will be given pretty much complete freedom on that front from any team.

What else? – Freedom to play with boats? Sports Cars? Planes? Work from home – in which country? What new toys are there in the tech box?

How interested is he in taking on the active aero challenge? If he’s excited by that he’ll stay in F1

I think it has to between the following:

Ferrari,

McLaren,

Aston.

Newey doesn’t like political games which is why he has walked out on teams and is likely fedup at RB. Had Hamilton stayed at Merc I think he would be 100% nailed on to go to Merc.

It’s got to be Ferrari.  The fairy tale would write itself if he got Hamo’s 8th in 26

Ok, I’ll put my “predictions” back in 🙂

McLaren definitely wasn’t one of them.

The most likely options have to be Ferrari (Hamilton, a good baseline in the current car, a works engine and—well, it’s Ferrari) or Aston (Alonso, enough cash to buy the moon, and the possibility of turning an upper midfield car into a dominant force).

Rather less likely… Audi (the chance to build another Red Bull from scratch) or retirement.

Even less likely still, but a jaw-dropper if it happened… Max goes to Mercedes and takes Newey with him.

Both of the likely options involve a driver that Newley’s named as wanting to have worked with. We know Stroll has made an offer, and it probably had a lot of zeroes in it. But Newey can’t exactly be short of a bob or two, and I think the kicker is the fact that the engines are going to change for 2026 which means that a works engine gives more design freedom. Ferrari looks like the best opportunity to come out on top in 2026 and I’d put my money on that freedom reeling him in.

Having said that, I’ve just reminded myself that Aston are sole customers of Honda in 2026 which means it’s practically a de facto works engine as well. I’m also failing to consider gardening leave.

No wonder I retracted it all the first time I posted it 🙂

Newey drives an Aston Martin Valkyrie now so will be off to AM?

Newey drives an Aston Martin Valkyrie now so will be off to AM?

Is that the only car he possesses? 🤔

I’m going to say Ferrari because of Fred Vasseur. Newey doesn’t really need the money, he’s still doing it because he enjoys it and will demand no interference from above in the running of the technical team. In the past, I don’t think he would have gone to Ferrari because of the politics, but I think it’s a different place under Vasseur. Newey will want to win titles and Ferrari seem the most likely place to do that.

But, Audi, McLaren, and Aston are also possibilities, they’ve all invested heavily in infrastructure so I expect Newey will look at the resources they have and base his decision on that. Audi and Ferrari would mean moving overseas. McLaren have improved massively and have two very good young drivers. Their engine deal with Merc is a bit closer than just being a customer team, they get input into the engine program and I’m pretty sure that they would treat Newey with a great deal of respect. Aston will be the works Honda team, so that may attract him.

Really, nothing would surprise me – both him and Max moving to Merc wouldn’t really be a surprise after the upheavals of the last few months.

In the past, I don’t think he would have gone to Ferrari because of the politics, but I think it’s a different place under Vasseur. Newey will want to win titles and Ferrari seem the most likely place to do that.

If I were Newey, I’d be insisting on an escape clause in case 2024 turns to shit for Ferrari and Fred is fired as the scapegoat!

I’m going to change my prediction: Newey and Andretti to take over Alpine. Honestly, nothing would really surprise me.

@hols2 has just outed himself* as a Netflix script writer and I claim my 2p

*Apologies if you don’t identify as male!

Newey has worked with Aston Martin on a road car project, so there’s strong ties there, but Vasseur and Hamilton and Newey at Ferrari has got the whiff of Schmacher/Byrne/Brawn about it, so that may be tempting him as well.

My money’s still on Ferrari I think.

Will there not be a period of garden leave ( 1 yr ) that RB will enforce?  That will make him 66/67 could he be arsed to work?

Yes, apparently there’s a contractual year of gardening leave after his contract ends at end of 2025

Not sure how that can be enforced tho

The component parts of the new version of the Schumacher / Brawn / Byrne dream team could be worth a flutter down the bookies.

Not sure how that can be enforced tho

Surely this will just be a matter of honour and trust between the people involved….

matter of honour and trust between the people involved

in F1 !?!

Surely this will just be a matter of honour and trust between the people involved….

Umm – remember we’re talking about a team led by Christian Horner.  Anyhow if they get stroppy then Newey just needs to get hold of the barrister that RB used last time, they should be able to prove that an inbox full of messages about the new Ferrari does not mean that Newey has been involved with the new Ferrari