Newey to Audi: 'There are a few names we would like to have in our team'

Adrian Newey is expected to tell Red Bull Racing in the coming days that he wants to leave the team. When the British designer will quit Max Verstappen's team is one of the big question marks at the moment. It's not only important for Red Bull, but other teams in the paddock because they are keen to sign Newey. This was already known from Aston Martin and Ferrari, and Audi are now also hinting they would like to hire Newey.

Audi will be the newest factory team on the Formula 1 grid from 2026 when they take over Sauber. They are currently at work fine-tuning the first Audi power unit, which was already fully running on the test bench a year ago. But the road to success is still long for the German manufacturer. In an extensive interview with Auto, Motor und Sport, Andrea Seidl, the driving force behind Audi's F1 project, is asked whether Adrian Newey could be the missing piece in the puzzle.

Newey meets Audi's criteria

To that, the German responded, "Obviously, there are one or two names in the Formula 1 circus that you would like to have in the team. Someone who not only brings know-how, but also attracts attention because of his popularity. On the other hand, Formula 1 is not a one-man show. We think it is important to put together a strong team with the right attitude with the aim of achieving something together."

Seidl is convinced that the Audi project is of interest to the best people in the business, and he is confident that at the start of the '26 season, the right people will be in place within the organisation under construction. "I am confident that with the right development and expansion of the team and the future operation within the budget cap, we will very quickly make strides towards the top five teams," Seidl said.