Helmut Marko suggests Adrian Newey’s departure was influenced by Mateschitz’s death and internal tensions following the Horner scandal.
The death of Dietrich Mateschitz in late 2022 was the main reason behind Adrian Newey’s decision to leave Red Bull.
This is the suspicion of team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko, although he acknowledges that other key figures, such as Jonathan Wheatley and Will Courtenay, were also drawn by highly lucrative offers and even more interesting positions.
“When you win, and we’ve won a lot over the past three years, it’s natural for your employees to be targeted by other teams,” Marko told ORF.
“That’s just the usual game in Formula 1.”
“What surprised me a bit were the amounts being offered. We always struggle to stay within the budget cap, but these individuals are often offered double. This means we couldn’t retain some of them.”
“Newey was with us for 17 years, Wheatley for 19 years. They were part of the team, the group, the club. They played a crucial role in our success. It hurts, but whether they leave for financial or professional reasons, it makes no difference if we can’t offer them the same.”
Another obvious factor, however, is the turmoil in management and the Christian Horner scandal, which overshadowed much of Red Bull’s 2024 season.
“There was certainly a shift after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death. He was essentially the sole leader. He made quick decisions. He was a charismatic entrepreneur with vision and a willingness to take risks.”
“After his death, the entire company had to be reorganized, because you can’t simply replace such a figure with one person.”
“I believe the changes within the team are also a result of this, and particularly in Newey’s case, I think that’s why Adrian decided to seek a new challenge.”
“And let’s put it this way: the situation with Horner certainly didn’t help. But internally, we sat down together and decided we needed to unite our forces, work together in all areas to win this world championship and also have a winning car for the future.”
- You may also like>Bearman and Colapinto Prove F1 Academy Success
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
Mateschitz Death Sparked Newey’s Departure Amid Tensions Mateschitz Death Sparked Newey’s Departure Amid Tensions
