Newey got help from Ecclestone: "Bernie has close ties with the authorities"

Adrian Newey has returned to Red Bull Racing after months away from the team following a cycling accident. He's a welcome return and the team could really use his help for the rest of the season. Helmut Marko hopes he will be fully operational again.

Marko revealed that a meeting with Max Verstappen in Milton Keynes was planned immediately after the top designer's return, so he could start working on the feedback immediately. Upon his return at the Turkish Grand Prix, Newey immediately noticed the problems with the set-up. Red Bull will now be hoping to get the most out of the RB16B in the last six races of the season.

From the description of the accident, Newey is lucky to be alive. It happened in Croatia, where the 62-year-old Briton was on holiday in the summer. "It was really tough," Marko tells F1 Insider. "Adrian had several broken bones and head injuries."

Thanks to an old friend from Formula 1, who was also in Croatia at the time, Newey received the best possible care. "Fortunately, Bernie Ecclestone was in Croatia at the same time," Marko continued. "Bernie has close ties with the authorities in Croatia. He made sure Adrian received the best medical treatment immediately and also arranged transport back to England."