Verstappen responds to questions on future after Newey’s Red Bull departure

Max Verstappen has insisted that he is not thinking about leaving Red Bull following the news that Adrian Newey is to depart the organisation, saying there is a “really strong group” around him that can pick up the baton.

It was announced earlier this week that legendary designer Newey – who has been at Red Bull for almost two decades, contributing to six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ crowns so far – will leave the team in the first quarter of 2025.

READ MORE: Red Bull confirm legendary F1 designer Newey is to leave the team

Asked about Newey’s impending exit, and whether that has made him question his own future at Red Bull, Verstappen replied: “No, not at the moment.

“Like I said before, I think it’s important to always have the quickest car, because that makes it a lot easier to think about what is right. At the end of the day, we have a really strong group of people that maybe aren’t talked enough about in the press in general.

“That’s fine, they know what they have to do, they know what they are worth to the team, and they know how important they have been for the current success as well with the car. We just keep on working.”

Pushed further on whether he would consider leaving Red Bull if the right offer was put on that table from a rival, be it financial or the opportunity it presented, Verstappen added: “At the end of the day, it’s not about money for me. I’m already very happy of course with what I’m having at the team.

“It’s really important about having the quickest car, and of course a good environment. That’s what we have currently, and that’s also what I asked for. As long as the environment is right and we have the quickest car, then it’s quite straightforward.”

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Offering his views on the situation, Perez admitted that it was “not ideal” but described Newey’s decision to move on as “fair” given that he “probably wants to do something else”.

As for the impact Newey would have at another team, he continued: “Well, definitely with the experience he has, obviously he has contributed a lot of Red Bull philosophy. I assume he will cause an immediate impact wherever he goes, whatever he does.

“He’s a very clever guy, a very hard worker. With Adrian, working with him… he’s much more than a designer; he can influence even strategy, set-up, he could have that influence on a race weekend. To have him around on race weekends was great.”

However, as Verstappen touched on, Perez expressed faith in the likes of Technical Director Pierre Wache, Head of Aerodynamics Enrico Balbo and Head of Performance Engineering Ben Waterhouse to keep Red Bull at the sharp end as Newey steps aside.

Asked about avoiding an influx of departures in the wake of Newey’s decision, Perez commented: “I think everyone is fully committed to the team. We’re having a tremendous season once again, [and] the future looks bright. I think it’s normal that you have this sort of movement. I don’t see any more changes in that regard.”

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He added: “I think Red Bull is in a great place, it has a very good, very strong organisation with Pierre, with Enrico, with Ben – I think the whole aero group is very strong.

“We’re just looking forward to the future, you know. I think you’ve seen in the past with these big teams, big names, when they leave, they will always succeed, it doesn’t matter… it’s not down to one single individual, it’s the whole organisation.

“I think Christian [Horner, Red Bull Team Principal] has done a great job in sort of preparing for the next generation of what’s going to happen to Red Bull.”