F1 News: Sergio Perez Warns of 'Immediate Impact' of Adrian Newey Exit

Sergio Perez anticipates a significant impact on both Red Bull and any team Adrian Newey joins following his announced departure in 2025.

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez of Mexico during media / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Red Bull Racing faces a significant shift as Adrian Newey prepares to leave the team in 2025. Sergio Perez claims that Newey’s departure will have an immediate and substantial impact on the team dynamics and performance.

The Formula 1 community was shocked recently as Red Bull announced that Adrian Newey is set to part ways with the team after a long and illustrious tenure, with rumored discussions between him and Aston Martin and Ferrari. This development has sparked speculation about the repercussions it will carry for the competitiveness of both Red Bull and Newey's future employer.

Newey, whose career spans several decades and includes stints at some of the most prestigious teams in F1, has been a pivotal figure in Red Bull’s numerous championship successes. Speaking during the Drivers' Press Conference ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Perez commented, as quoted by Autosport:

"Adrian, with the experience he has, he has contributed a lot to the Red Bull philosophy so I assume he will cause an immediate impact wherever he goes or whatever he does."

The Mexican driver has worked closely with Newey and attests to his comprehensive influence on the team’s operations beyond just technical design. Perez continued:

"He is a very clever guy and a very hard worker. Working with Adrian, he is much more than a designer, he can influence even strategies, set-up, he could have that influence on a race weekend.

"To have him around on race weekends was great. He is a very strong individual and wherever he goes he will cause an immediate impact. But it is a whole group of people that he will require to have around him as well.

"It is obviously not ideal, someone like Adrian [leaving], he has been tremendous to our team, to our organisation, and he is also a very good friend of mine from all the time we've spent together.

"But, at the end of the day, there are times in life when you spend 20 years at Red Bull I think he probably wants to do something else and that is fair."

Despite the potential shake-up, Perez remains optimistic about Red Bull Racing's resilience and its ability to continue thriving. He pointed to the strength of the remaining team members, who are poised to fill the void left by Newey:

"I think Red Bull is in a great place and it has a very strong organisation with Pierre [Wache – technical director], Enrico [Balbo – head of aerodynamics] and Ben [Waterhouse – head of performance engineering]. I think the whole aero group is very strong and I think we are looking forward to the future.

"You've seen in the past at these big teams, big names when they leave they will always exist, it isn't down to one single individual. It is a whole organisation and I think Christian [Horner] has done a great job in preparing for the next generation of what is going to happen at Red Bull."

Addressing concerns about other potential departures, Perez reassured that the team's foundational elements remain robust:

"I think everyone is fully committed to the team and we are having a tremendous season once again and the future looks bright at the team.

"I think it is normal that you have this sort of movement, losing some people, but I think the organisation remains really strong and I don't see any more changes ahead in that regard."