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Christian Horner has likened Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull to Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from Manchester United in 2009. The Red Bull boss is confident that the team can continue to win without their legendary designer, who’s set to join Aston Martin in 2025.
Newey, who has been instrumental in Red Bull’s seven constructors’ titles since joining the team in 2006, will remain employed by the company until early next year, wrapping up his work on their first hypercar.
Horner, speaking to Sky Sports F1 at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, said: "In the last eight to nine years, he came very close to leaving in 2014 and from that moment onwards we needed to make sure we were in a position if he were to depart, we would pick up the mantle and the baton to run with it."
He added: "When he chose to go to Aston, for skin in the game with shares and from what I understand, the whole structure will report to him, he still feels he has that motivation. All we can do is wish him the best of luck. We will look back at great fondness at his time with us."
Newey’s move to Aston Martin has been met with excitement, and Max Verstappen believes it’s a huge coup for the team. However, the Dutch driver has also been critical of Red Bull’s performance since Newey’s departure, stating that they’ve struggled to find the same level of success without him.
Meanwhile, Ted Kravitz has weighed in on the impact of Newey’s appointment, saying that it will give Aston Martin a significant advantage in the sport. But Horner is confident that Red Bull will continue to thrive, saying: "Ok, Ronaldo. I’m not a football analogy specialist."
As for the current season, Formula 1 heads to Azerbaijan for the Grand Prix, with plenty of drama expected on track. Stay tuned for live coverage of the event on Sky Sports F1, and follow us on all social media platforms for more updates.
Here’s our schedule for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
Saturday, September 14:
- 9:15 am: Practice Three (session starts at 9:30 am)
- 11:10 am: F2 Sprint
- 12:15 pm: Qualifying build-up
- 1:00 pm: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING*
- 3:00 pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday, September 15:
- 8:30 am: F2 Feature Race
- 10:30 am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
- 12:00 pm: AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
- 2:00 pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
- 3:00 pm: Ted’s Notebook
*Also live on Sky Sports Main Event.