Adrian Newey has responded to comments made by Christian Horner in Horner’s new autobiography, addressing tensions from Red Bull Racing’s struggles with Renault engines in 2014. Newey indicated that he believed Horner did not fully grasp the extent of his frustration during that challenging period.
Horner, who served as team principal, and Newey, the chief designer, collaborated successfully over nearly two decades at Red Bull, securing multiple championships with drivers Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. However, after the introduction of turbo-hybrid engines in 2014, Red Bull fell behind, overshadowed by Mercedes’ dominance.
Initially, Red Bull continued using Renault engines, which had powered them to victory in prior seasons. However, Renault faced difficulties adapting to the new regulations, affecting the performance of Newey’s car designs. In his recently released book, *Drive*, Horner expressed disappointment in Newey and cited a moment in mid-2014 when he felt Newey considered leaving the team after receiving an offer from Ferrari. He wrote, “I stood behind him and believed that he stood behind me as well. But at the first sign of adversity, Adrian wanted to abandon ship. I felt very sad about that.”
Horner added that he could no longer rely on Newey, suggesting a deterioration in their partnership during that tough time.
During a press conference at the United States Grand Prix, Newey addressed Horner’s remarks, stating that while he has not read the book, he acknowledged the challenges presented by Renault’s lack of improvement. “As a chassis designer, if the [power unit] manufacturer has a bad year, that happens, and you accept it,” Newey said. “But if the [power unit] manufacturer has a bad year and doesn’t appear to have any intention of trying to address the problem, that’s altogether a different matter.” He reflected on the frustrations of 2014, indicating that Horner might not have fully understood his perspective.
Ultimately, Newey decided against joining Ferrari and opted to stay at Red Bull, although he shifted his focus to other projects outside of Formula 1. He remained with the team until 2024, when he transitioned to Aston Martin as team principal and managing technical partner.
Newey concluded by affirming his ongoing friendship with Horner, noting, “Christian and I remain friends. As many of you know, I am godfather to his daughter Olivia.” In interviews promoting his book, Horner likened Newey’s current experience at Aston Martin to their early years at Red Bull, highlighting the challenges of rebuilding the team.
Looking ahead, Formula 1 continues with the United States Grand Prix in Austin, with practice and qualifying events scheduled throughout the weekend.
