Toto Wolff response reveals Adrian Newey stance after Red Bull exit

Adrian Newey will leave Red Bull in 2025, having been at the F1 team since 2006

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has been following the news of Adrian Newey’s departure (David Davies/PA) (PA Wire)

Toto Wolff revealed he is watching the emerging news surrounding Adrian Newey ‘like a fan’ after it was announced the design genius would leave Red Bull in 2025.

Newey has been at Red Bull since 2006 and has been praised for his role in developing the cars that have seen Max Verstappen dominate the spot, with the Dutch driver on course to win a fourth driver’s title in 2024.

The chief technical officer announced he will “step back” from F1 this season, before leaving the company at the start of 2025, but the departure is likely to have caught the eye of other teams, who would like to secure Newey’s services.

Wolf said, speaking at an event in New York and quoted by the BBC: “Adrian Newey is an iconic engineer in F1 with a great track record and again also there are so many people talking about what he eventually might do and whether he leaves Red Bull or not.

“I’m just looking at it like a fan and watching that space.”

Newey’s departure has also caught the attention of Zak Brown, especially as the current Red Bull technical officer spent time at McLaren during the 1990s.

“Adrian is a good friend and clearly the most successful designer of all time,” Brown said.

“However, we have a plan in place at McLaren and I am extremely happy with our technical leadership team and the progress we’re making to get back to the front of the grid.”

Newey had a contract until the end of 2025, which was signed in May 2023, but is believed to be unhappy with the current discontent in the team and the division between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko in the wake of the incident surrounding the team principal.