McLaren CEO Zak Brown has taken a swipe at Red Bull, implying that the team’s recent struggles might be linked to the absence of their legendary technical guru, Adrian Newey.
“Adrian Newey, I bet it would be nice to have him around the conference room table right now, looking at how to improve the car…” Brown quipped, highlighting the impact of Red Bull’s recent high-profile departures.
Following the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren sits just eight points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship, a significant achievement given Red Bull’s dominant start to the 2024 season. The race at Monza marked Red Bull’s worst performance since last year’s Singapore Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen finishing only fifth.
Brown believes that the loss of key personnel has “destabilized” Red Bull, pointing out that Newey’s exit, along with other significant departures, has left a void in the team’s technical leadership. Rob Marshall, who joined McLaren last year, and Jonathan Wheatley, who is set to leave Red Bull at the end of 2024 to become Audi’s team principal, are among those who have exited the team.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s situation, Brown told Sky Sports, “I don’t know exactly what’s going on there, but losing three of their most senior people—Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and Rob Marshall—has to be a blow. You can’t lose that much talent without feeling the impact. It seems like things are more destabilized than they have been recently.”
Despite his jabs, Brown ruled out any intentions of bringing Newey to McLaren, stating, “He always returns my calls. We’re good friends, but I’m very happy with the race team that I have.”
Speculation is rife that Newey may join Aston Martin, with Sky’s David Croft hinting that an announcement about his future could come as soon as next week.
As the F1 season progresses, McLaren’s resurgence and Red Bull’s struggles could set the stage for an intense battle in the Constructors’ Championship, with Brown’s remarks adding an extra layer of intrigue to the unfolding drama.
