Ferrari Explains Why Talks with Adrian Newey Fell Through
While Aston Martin ultimately succeeded in securing Adrian Newey’s signature, they were not the only team vying for his expertise. Ferrari was also viewed as a strong contender to attract Newey, but according to team principal Fred Vasseur, negotiations did not yield a deal.
Vasseur’s Stance on Newey’s Role
Since assuming leadership at Ferrari, Fred Vasseur has seen a notable improvement in the team’s performance. After a disastrous start to the 2023 season, their progress over the past eighteen months has placed them in a competitive position, now just under 40 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.
Despite this turnaround, Ferrari has not undergone significant personnel changes; Vasseur has largely maintained the existing technical team, with the notable exception of Technical Director Enrico Cardile, who left for Aston Martin.
This stability influenced Vasseur’s reluctance to meet all of Adrian Newey’s demands. Reports suggest that Newey, now 65, sought greater control over Ferrari’s development processes than Vasseur was willing to grant. Essentially, bringing Newey on board would have necessitated a more radical shift in the team’s technical operations than Vasseur had in mind.
Vasseur Maintains His Principles
In an interview with L’Equipe, Vasseur openly discussed the breakdown of negotiations, stating:
“There were discussions [with Newey], but probably his ideas were different than what I had in mind for him.
“Maybe one day we will find common ground.
“But as I said, it’s not one person who changes the outcome of a team. The group is always stronger than the individual.”
Vasseur deserves recognition for adhering to his vision during the negotiations with Newey. Compromising his approach for the sake of one individual would raise concerns about the team’s overall direction.
Currently, Ferrari’s technical structure is performing well. The SF-24 has secured three victories this year, positioning the team within striking distance of Red Bull and McLaren in the standings.
Newey Joins a Rival Team
Nevertheless, the failure to recruit Adrian Newey is undeniably a setback for Ferrari. More critically, his joining Aston Martin could pose challenges for Ferrari in 2026.
Although Vasseur found Newey’s expectations too demanding, his impressive track record in Formula 1 is well-known. With Newey at the helm of a newly outfitted Aston Martin and a growing technical team, he could have a significant impact on their performance.
While it is premature to predict how teams will adapt to the 2026 regulations, Ferrari will face pressure to be competitive when the new rules come into play. If the Italian team fails to contend for the Championship, the decision to forgo compromises in negotiations with Newey could haunt them.
For a team that has not won a Championship in nearly two decades, a more comprehensive engineering overhaul may have been warranted. Ultimately, only time will reveal whether Vasseur’s choice was the right one.
Source: https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsports/2024/09/09/ferrari-reveal-how-adrian-newey-talks-collapsed/