F1 Insider Warns: 'I'll Give Red Bull Two More Years'

Internal strife and potential major departures at Red Bull could lead to its decline unless significant changes are made.

Oct 23, 2022; Austin, Texas, USA; Red Bull Racing Limited driver Max Verstappen (1) of Team / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Tensions at Red Bull Racing may lead to significant changes, warns former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, giving the team a bleak two-year prognosis under current leadership. The potential departure of chief technical officer Adrian Newey and dissent within the ranks exacerbates the situation.

The stability of the Milton Keynes outfit's future is on everyone's minds as ongoing internal conflicts and the possible exit of Adrian Newey, one of Formula 1's most acclaimed engineers, have been reported since the beginning of the season. Schumacher has now criticised the team's atmosphere under team principal Christian Horner, predicting a rapid decline if current conditions persist.

"Adrian Newey needs harmony, he needs a good atmosphere at his workplace," said Ralf Schumacher in conversation with Sky Sports News. "And at this moment you can say: Red Bull is falling apart."

Schumacher does not mince words about the role of the team chief in the brewing storm, suggesting that his leadership style may be jeopardizing the team's future success. "Christian Horner bears personal responsibility for this because he clings to power within the team with all his might," he said.

Add to this the gravity of Newey's potential departure from his instrumental role resulting in the team's numerous championship victories, having crafted cars that delivered world titles for drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. His genius in aerodynamics and design has long been a cornerstone of Red Bull's strategy in the fiercely competitive Formula 1 landscape. Even with a poor Renault engine, the chassis of their cars allowed much more performance than the powertrain warranted.

Reports have emerged that Newey—who is reputedly dissatisfied with the present team dynamics—rejected a significant offer from Aston Martin, Peter Windsor, an experienced F1 pundit, weighed in on Newey's career trajectory and motivations, indicating the complexity of the choices ahead for him.

“My understanding is that he’s already been offered a lot of money by Aramco, and Aston," Windsor said. “And he has turned it down. That is my understanding of what the Aston situation is. He doesn’t need the money. Money isn’t a motivation for him."

Speculations suggest that Newey's next move could be to another top team like Mercedes or Ferrari, with Ferrari being a more likely option due to Newey's respect for Ferrari's new team leader Fred Vasseur, despite the potential for "drama" and "politics."

“So I’d be surprised if he goes to Aston. Of course, it is still possible. The next one is Mercedes. They will offer him a lot of money, I’d imagine," elaborated Windsor. “He’ll think Mercedes or Ferrari ‘which one do I want to go to?’ They are two big, political teams. They have won races recently, he knows he could do a good job recently." Windsor added, “My gut feeling is that he’d rather go to Ferrari, of those two. He probably has a lot of faith in Fred Vasseur. But it brings with it a lot of drama. Politics - pressure."

As the situation unfolds, the potential implications for Red Bull are significant. Not only could Newey's exit mark a profound shift in the technical dominance of the sport, but it might also affect key figures like Max Verstappen, who is allegedly reevaluating his future with the team amidst the unrest.

“I don't think that when Newey leaves, this will be the last problem Horner will have. Max Verstappen is already thinking about it, as is Helmut Marko," Schumacher cautioned. “I'll give Red Bull two more years, but if they keep holding on to Christian Horner, the team will sink into mediocrity. I'm pretty sure of that."