Horner comments on 'early' Newey presentation with Aston Martin

"It wasn't a great surprise," Horner said about Newey's move to Aston Martin. "I think it was becoming clearer and clearer that that was the route he was going to take rather than into retirement or any other team. And so, obviously it'll be a new challenge for him and we'll be sad to see him when he leaves next year, but wish him all the best for the future."

The team boss of the Milton Keynes-based team took a moment to thank Newey for services rendered. "Obviously look back with great fondness, the 20 years almost that we spent together. Obviously, the highs and lows during that period. But look forward to the future, and I think we're well positioned for that."

The fact that Newey would move to Aston Martin - he even visited the Silverstone factory already - was a poorly kept secret in recent weeks. Last Tuesday, billionaire Lawrence Stroll's team announced the 65-year-old engineer's arrival.

Still, it is somewhat premature, the British team boss seems to say in the press conference in Baku. "It was obviously a large announcement by Aston Martin. And, Adrian has always tended to do his own thing. They chose to celebrate it perhaps, potentially slightly prematurely before he's finished his contract with Red Bull Racing. But obviously it was a big moment for that team."