Adrian Newey is a renowned British Formula One engineer, celebrated for his exceptional design skills. He has achieved significant success in both Formula One and IndyCar racing, holding key roles such as race engineer, aerodynamicist, designer, and technical director. His expertise has contributed to the success of Red Bull Racing, where he served as chief technical officer. Newey's contributions have solidified his position as a prominent figure in motorsport engineering.
December 1958: Birth of Adrian Newey
Adrian Newey was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, in December 1958.
December 1958: Birth of Adrian Newey
Adrian Newey was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, on 26 December 1958, the son of Richard and Edwina Newey.
1980: Newey Graduates and Starts F1 Career
Adrian Newey graduated from the University of Southampton with a first class honours degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1980 and started working for the Fittipaldi Formula One team.
1981: Newey Joins March Team
Adrian Newey joined the March team in 1981.
1984: Newey Moves to March Indy Car Project
Adrian Newey moved to the March Indy car project in 1984.
1985: Newey's Design Wins CART Title
Adrian Newey's car designs won the 1985 CART titles.
1985: Newey's Design Wins CART Championship and Indianapolis 500
In 1985, Adrian Newey's March 85C design won the CART Championship with Al Unser and the Indianapolis 500 with Danny Sullivan.
1986: Newey Joins Haas Lola F1 Team
Adrian Newey joined the Haas Lola F1 team at the end of 1986.
1986: Newey's Design Wins CART Title and Indy 500 Again
Adrian Newey's March 86C design won the 1986 CART title and the Indianapolis 500 with Bobby Rahal.
1986: Newey's Design Wins CART Title Again
Adrian Newey's car designs also won the 1986 CART titles.
1987: Newey Returns to March
After a stint at Newman-Haas in 1987, Adrian Newey returned to March to work in Formula One as chief designer.
1988: Newey's First F1 Design Shows Promise
Adrian Newey's first F1 design, the 1988 March 881, proved to be more competitive than many expected.
1990: Newey Becomes Technical Director but is Later Fired
As March became Leyton House Racing in 1990, Adrian Newey became technical director, but was later fired.
1991: Newey's FW14 Chassis Shows Promise
Adrian Newey's FW14 chassis designed for Williams proved to be very competitive, but reliability problems prevented the team from winning the championship.
1991: Start of successful career at Williams
In 1991, Adrian Newey began his successful career at Williams, where his car designs would contribute to numerous race victories, pole positions, and fastest laps.
1992: Newey Wins First Constructors' Title
In 1992, Nigel Mansell won the drivers' championship with Adrian Newey's car, securing Newey's first constructors' title.
1993: Newey Wins Second Constructors' Title
Adrian Newey won his second constructors' title in 1993 with Alain Prost driving the FW15C.
1994: Senna's Death and Williams' Struggles
In 1994, Adrian Newey's car designs for Williams struggled to match the pace of Benetton, and tragedy struck with the death of Ayrton Senna.
1995: Newey's Relationship with Williams Deteriorates
In 1995, Adrian Newey's relationship with Williams continued to deteriorate, culminating in the loss of both the drivers' and constructors' championships to Benetton.
1996: Newey Leaves Williams for McLaren
Adrian Newey joined McLaren in 1996 after leaving Williams.
1997: End of Williams Career
In 1997, Adrian Newey's career at Williams came to an end. During his seven years at Williams, his cars achieved 59 race victories, 78 pole positions, and 60 fastest laps in 114 races. Four drivers won world championships during this period.
1997: McLaren improves under Newey's influence
In 1997, Adrian Newey, unable to significantly influence the design of that year's McLaren, focused on improving the existing design while working on the car for the following year. A victory at the European Grand Prix provided a strong finish to the season, and the McLaren MP4/13 proved highly competitive in the following season.
1998: McLaren's Championship Winning Year
In 1998, McLaren, under Adrian Newey's design influence, won the Formula 1 World Championship.
1999: McLaren Wins Consecutive Championship
In 1999, McLaren continued their success from the previous year, securing another Formula 1 World Championship with Adrian Newey's designs.
2000: Hakkinen Narrowly Misses Third Title
In 2000, Mika Häkkinen, driving for McLaren, came close to winning a third consecutive Formula 1 World Championship title but ultimately fell short.
2001: Newey's Failed Move to Jaguar
In the spring of 2001, Adrian Newey signed a contract with the Jaguar F1 team, then managed by his friend and former CART colleague Bobby Rahal. However, McLaren boss Ron Dennis persuaded Newey to stay with McLaren, preventing the deal from being finalized. Both Newey and Rahal later attributed the failure to internal politics at Jaguar and Ford, particularly Niki Lauda's influence, which undermined Rahal's position within the team, leading to his dismissal a few months later.
2004: Speculation about Newey's Future
In 2004, rumors began to circulate regarding Adrian Newey's future at McLaren, with speculation that he might return to Williams or even leave Formula 1 altogether.
April 2005: Newey Extends Contract with McLaren
In April 2005, Adrian Newey extended his contract with McLaren for six months until the end of the year, amidst rumors suggesting he might take a sabbatical or retire from Formula One design.
November 2005: Red Bull Announces Newey's Arrival
On November 8, 2005, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey would be joining the team in February 2006, after McLaren reportedly declined to meet his salary expectations during contract renewal discussions.
2005: Red Bull Racing's Transition with Newey
Towards the end of 2005, Red Bull Racing was in a strong position, finishing seventh overall. This momentum carried over into the early part of 2006 as the team prepared for Adrian Newey's arrival.
February 2006: Newey Joins Red Bull Racing
In February 2006, Adrian Newey officially joined Red Bull Racing, marking a significant move in his career. Reports indicated that his salary at Red Bull was significantly higher than what McLaren was willing to offer.
2006: Newey Joins Red Bull Racing
Adrian Newey joined Red Bull Racing in 2006, after designing championship-winning cars for Williams and McLaren.
2006: Newey's Limited Influence and Red Bull's Challenging Start
Adrian Newey's influence on the 2006 car design was limited due to his late arrival at Red Bull Racing. The team started the season with disappointing results, securing only two points in the first six races.
2006: Newey Commits to McLaren for 2006
On 19 July 2005, Adrian Newey announced his decision to stay with McLaren for the 2006 season, putting any plans for a sabbatical or retirement on hold.
2007: Red Bull's Improved Performance with Renault Engines
In 2007, Red Bull Racing, using Adrian Newey's design and powered by Renault engines, showed improved performance but suffered from reliability issues. Despite each driver retiring seven times during the season, the team achieved fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
2008: Red Bull's Complex Chassis and Inconsistent Performance
In 2008, Red Bull Racing's car, designed by Adrian Newey and Geoff Willis, was noted for its intricate chassis design. The team started well, with consistent points finishes and a podium for David Coulthard in Montreal. However, their performance declined in the latter half of the season, resulting in a drop in the standings.
2009: Red Bull's Significant Performance Leap
In 2009, Adrian Newey's car design for Red Bull Racing led to a significant improvement in performance. The team achieved one-two finishes in Shanghai and at the British Grand Prix, both won by Sebastian Vettel. Further victories in Germany and a late-season hat-trick, including another one-two in Abu Dhabi, secured a comfortable second place in the Constructors' Championship.
November 2010: Red Bull's Dominant Championship Win and Newey's Historic Achievement
In November 2010, Red Bull Racing, with Adrian Newey's dominant RB6 car, won the Constructors' Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix. On November 14, 2010, Sebastian Vettel clinched the World Drivers' Championship, marking a historic achievement for Adrian Newey as the only F1 designer to win Constructors' Championships with three different teams.
2010: Red Bull Racing Championship Streak Begins
Adrian Newey's cars won the Formula One drivers' and constructors' championships consecutively from 2010 to 2013.
October 2011: Red Bull's Continued Dominance and Vettel's Double Championship
In October 2011, Red Bull Racing, continuing their dominance with Adrian Newey's RB7, secured the World Drivers' Championship with Sebastian Vettel becoming the youngest double champion in F1 history on October 9th. This was followed by another Constructors' Championship victory at the Korean Grand Prix on October 16th.
2012: Red Bull and Vettel Secure Another Championship in Dramatic Fashion
In 2012, Red Bull Racing, despite initial concerns about the RB8's performance compared to the McLaren MP4-27 and a strong challenge from Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, secured another World Championship in a dramatic finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel once again claiming the drivers' title.
2013: Red Bull Racing Championship Streak Ends
Adrian Newey's cars won the Formula One drivers' and constructors' championships consecutively from 2010 to 2013.
2013: Red Bull's Dominant Defense of Both Championships
In 2013, Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel, driving the RB9, dominated the latter half of the season, securing both the World Drivers' and World Constructors' Championships at the Indian Grand Prix. Vettel achieved a record-breaking nine consecutive race wins from the Belgian Grand Prix to the final race in Brazil.
2021: Red Bull Wins Drivers' Championship
Adrian Newey's car design helped Red Bull Racing win the Formula One drivers' championship in 2021.
2022: Red Bull Wins Both Championships
Red Bull Racing, using Adrian Newey's car design, won both the drivers' and constructors' championships in 2022.
2023: Red Bull Wins Both Championships Again
Red Bull Racing won both the drivers' and constructors' championships again in 2023, using Adrian Newey's car design.
May 2024: Newey Shifts Focus from F1 Design
On May 1, 2024, Red Bull Racing announced that Adrian Newey would shift his focus from day-to-day Formula One design to work on the RB17 hypercar.
2025: Newey Set to Leave Red Bull Racing
Adrian Newey is set to fully leave Red Bull Racing in the first quarter of 2025.